Nearly half of online pharmacies that sell semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — are doing so illegally, posing safety risks for consumers, according to a study published Aug. 2 in JAMA Network Open.
Of the 317 online pharmacies included in the study, researchers found 42.27% were operating illegally, meaning vendors were selling products without a license and without a prescription. Researchers also tested semaglutide samples that were ordered from six online pharmacies and found one sample had an elevated presence of endotoxin. While no viable bacteria were detected, the presence indicated possible contamination, researchers said.
Additionally, levels of semaglutide in all of the samples exceeded amounts listed on the labels by 29% to 39%, posing overdose risks. Of six products that were purchased, only three were delivered, with the other three engaging in "nondelivery scams," researchers found. Two of the sites included in the study had received FDA warning letters for unlawful sale of unapproved and misbranded semaglutide.
The findings underscore the "serious consumer risks" that patients face when receiving "ineffective and dangerous products," Tim Mackey, a study author and professor of global health at UC San Diego, told NBC News.
The full study can be found here.