Fake Ozempic: SAHPRA warning and how to detect counterfeits
The global trend of using the diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss has quickly seen it become one of the most sought-after drugs in the country.
As celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Sharon Osbourne and Elon Musk have spoken publicly about their weight loss with Ozempic, people globally have been scrambling to get the drug.
With the demand for Ozempic, a Schedule 4 drug, at an all-time high, counterfeits have started appearing.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has reported an increase in suspected counterfeit Ozempic, chemically known as Semaglutide.
SAHPRA has warned South Africans against purchasing Ozempic and other variations of Semaglutide from websites due to the rise in counterfeit products.
Medications under the Semaglutide umbrella were initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes and have not yet been registered in South Africa for weight management.
The public demand for the drug has resulted in a shortage of the medication for South Africans living with type 2 diabetes.
According to SAHPRA, Glucagon-like Peptide (GLP-1) containing products, like Ozempic, which help lower blood-sugar levels and promote weight loss, are being made available to the public through websites and social media.
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Mounjaro (tirzepatide), developed by Eli Lilly and Company, is also gaining attention in South Africa but has not yet been imported in South Africa through the Eli Lilly and Company distribution channels
SAHPRA spokesperson Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela has warned consumers from purchasing Semaglutide products branded as Ozempic and Mounjaro from vendors on social media and other unlicensed websites
“The complexity of compounding GLP-1 agonists, which are sterile medicines containing complex active substances poses a public health and safety risk.
“The risks associated with compounded medicines containing GLP-1 agonists are posed by the absence of the evaluation of these medicines by SAHPRA and the unknown nature and safety of ingredients used in compounding”
SAHPRA is urging the public to purchase only SAHPRA-registered products containing GLP-1 agonists.
SAHPRA has also issued pictures of real versus fake Ozempic.
IOL Lifestyle