Photo:Getty
Getty
Counterfeit versions of the popular injectableOzempichave flooded the market, causing theU.S. Food and Drug Administrationto issue a warning Thursday about the knockoff products that have infiltrated the “legitimate U.S. drug supply chain.”
“The agency advises wholesalers, retail pharmacies, health care practitioners and patients to check the product they have received and not distribute, use, or sell products labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057,” the alert said.
“Some counterfeit products may still be available for purchase.”
Ozempicis an FDA-approved prescription medication for people with type 2 diabetes that works in the brain to impact satiety. It’s often prescribed off-label for weight loss, andits popularity may have led to a shortageof the product earlier this year.
Knockoff Ozempic.FDA
FDA
Theaverage retail costwithout insurance ranges from $1,205 to $1,368 — which is likely contributing to the popularity of the knockoffs.
At least three people havebeen hospitalizeddue to adverse effects of taking the counterfeit products. And in its alert, the FDA said there have been “five adverse events from this lot, none of which are serious, and are consistent with known common adverse reactions to authenticOzempic, which are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation.”
The medication’s impacts on the digestive system have recently made headlines; the drug may cause a condition known as ileus, which is alife-threatening intestinal blockage.
Ozempic.Mario Tama/Getty
Mario Tama/Getty
It’s not just the medication itself that’s counterfeit, the FDA says. “Analysis found the needles from the samples are counterfeit. Accordingly, the sterility of the needles cannot be confirmed, which presents an increased risk of infection for patients who use the counterfeit products.”
It’s unknown if the needles are unsterile or previously used. And asthe CDCpoints out, “reusing a needle or syringe puts patients in danger of contracting Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, and possibly HIV.”
Thw FDA said it’s working closely with Ozempic’s manufacturer Novo Nordisk “to identify, investigate, and remove further suspected counterfeit semaglutide [the generic name for Ozempic] injectable products found in the U.S.”
In a statement on its website, Novo Nordisk said, “Falsified or counterfeit products represent a true public health risk today. The effect or lack of effect in the body can be very damaging to the people exposed. So to protect the health and safety of patients worldwide we are actively engaged in efforts to combat counterfeiting.”
If you suspect you have a counterfeit product, the FDA urges you to submit a report online atMedWatch Online Voluntary Reporting Form— or you can reach out to Novo Nordisk via thiscontact form,
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source: people.com
