Counterfeit Ozempic presentations, known as "faux-zempic," are on the rise in legal and illegal supply chains, The New York Times reported July 12.
After GLP-1s such as Ozempic and Wegovy surged in popularity in late 2022, global organizations and pharmaceutical companies have tried to stamp out phony formulations. As of May, Novo Nordisk has filed 21 lawsuits against medical spas, weight loss clinics and compounding pharmacies over alleged sales of unapproved versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy.
Experts who study the counterfeit drug market told the Times they are concerned about the climbing demand for these drugs and the fake pharmaceutical supply chain. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy said it has found thousands of websites selling counterfeit GLP-1 medications — and the FDA has seized thousands of fake Ozempic units.
In January, the American Association of Poison Control Centers suggested a link between three cases of hypoglycemia in 2023 and counterfeit Ozempic presentations.
Unregulated and unlicensed online vendors that are selling these injectables could be offering impure semaglutide, other ingredients or dangerously high doses, the Times reported.
"Such high demand and short supply and such a desperate population — that's a recipe for disaster," George Karavetsos, a former director of the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations, told the Times.