WHO issues warning over counterfeit Ozempic after fake batch found in UK

A global alert has been issued about fake versions of Ozempic, a drug that has been used to help with weight loss and has seen a huge spike in demand recently.

The drug was designed to help with Type 2 diabetes.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had found three falsified batches of semaglutide (the type of drug the brand Ozempic falls under) in the UK, USA and Brazil.

The WHO said it had noticed a significant increase in the amount of falsified Ozempic across all regions of the world since 2022.

Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, said: "We call on stakeholders to stop any usage of suspicious medicines and report to relevant authorities."

Semaglutides, including Ozempic, are prescribed to people with Type 2 diabetes in order to lower their blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart problems.

The drug has also been shown to suppress appetite and it is for this purpose rather than its original design that they have seen such a surge in demand.

The WHO warned the fake products could have harmful effects to people's health, resulting in unmanaged blood glucose levels or weight.

It also warned as Ozempic is an injection that poorly designed injection devices could have undeclared ingredients in them, leading to a wide variety of health risks.

The WHO said it currently does not recommend the drug for diabetes treatment due to its high cost and alternatives.

But it said it was working on producing guidelines for the drug to be used to treat obesity - a health field that has relatively few drugs that help combat it.

The WHO advised health professionals to be on alert of Ozempic being offered outside of usual delivery methods.

It also advised individuals against buying products from anywhere that is not licensed to offer prescriptions.

Additionally, people should check the packaging and expiry dates of medicines when they get them, and in the case of Ozempic check if it is stored in a refrigerator.

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