An extensive study revealed that over 40 percent of online pharmacies claiming to sell weight loss drugs, including Ozempic, are engaging in illegal activities. Some of these fraudulent pharmacies defraud customers by not delivering the promised products.
In their analysis, researchers discovered 317 online pharmacies through search engine monitoring. Out of these, more than 42 percent (134 websites) were identified as illegal operations.
The FDA had previously issued warning letters to two of the analyzed websites for their unlawful sale of unapproved and misbranded semaglutide.
The researchers purchased semaglutide products from six vendors classified as not recommended or rogue by authorities.
Out of the six vendors, three fulfilled the orders while the remaining three engaged in nondelivery scams. These scams involved requesting additional payments ranging from $650 to $1200, purportedly to clear customs. However, customs agencies confirmed these requests as fraudulent.
The three semaglutide test products were checked against the International Pharmaceutical Federations checklist to evaluate their quality and purity. Out of a potential full score of 22 points, the three items only scored 8 or 9. They had clear discrepancies in regulatory registration information, accurate labeling, and evidence suggesting that the products were likely unregistered or unlicensed.
One of the samples was found to contain an elevated presence of endotoxins, indicating potential contamination by a bacterial component.
Although all samples contained semaglutide, the purity levels were significantly lower. Moreover, the semaglutide content exceeded the labeled amount by 29 percent to 39 percent. As a result, individuals who used these products likely injected themselves with higher amounts of semaglutide than what they were led to believe.
These risk factors indicate likely falsification, as the products do not meet legitimate quality standards, according to the study.
The counterfeit product was found to contain another diabetes medication called insulin glargine injection, which reportedly caused an adverse reaction.
Last year, multiple agencies worldwide issued warnings about the sale of fake semaglutide products.
On October 18, the European Medicines Agency issued an alert regarding counterfeit Ozempic pens identified at wholesalers in the European Union and the UK.
Compounded semaglutides are also posing a health risk. Compounding refers to the process of combining or altering ingredients to create personalized medications. However, compounded drugs are not approved by the FDA.
The FDA has attributed several overdoses to dosing errors made by customers.
According to adverse event reports, many patients who received vials of compounded semaglutide lacked experience with self-injections.
Confusion between different units of measurement (e.g., milliliters, milligrams, and units) and unfamiliarity with withdrawing medication from a vial into a syringe may have contributed to dosing errors.
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