FDA Alerts Public to Thousands of Counterfeit Ozempic Units

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has discovered and seized thousands of counterfeit units of Ozempic, a medication used for the treatment of type-2 diabetes and weight loss. The fake drugs, found within the U.S. drug supply chain, have raised concerns over patient safety. The FDA, in collaboration with Novo Nordisk, the legitimate manufacturer of Ozempic, is conducting tests to ascertain the safety, quality, and identity of the counterfeit products.

Patients have been advised to acquire their medication from state-licensed pharmacies and ensure they have a valid prescription. There have been five reported cases of illness linked to the counterfeit drugs; however, none of these cases were deemed serious. Despite the limited number of reported adverse events, the FDA has expressed concerns about the potential risk of infection due to the non-sterile counterfeit needles provided with the fake medication.

Healthcare professionals and consumers are being urged to report any adverse side effects of Ozempic to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. The FDA has specifically warned against using products labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057 and has advised checking all medication packaging for authenticity.