The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a medical alert on June 20, warning that fake versions of semaglutide products such as Ozempic have been detected worldwide. WHO’s Global Surveillance and Monitoring System has been investigating increased reports of fake semaglutide products since 2022. The current alert is the first official notice the organization has issued after confirming some of these reports.
“WHO advises healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and the public be aware of these falsified batches of medicines,” said Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, assistant director-general for WHO’s essential medicines and health products, in a statement. “We call on stakeholders to stop any usage of suspicious medicines and report to relevant authorities.
” The agency warned that fake semaglutide products can harm people’s health, leading to unmanaged weight or blood glucose levels. In some cases, the products contain undeclared ingredients such as insulin that can lead to an “unpredictable range of health risks or complications.” WHO said semaglutide is not part of any treatment regime the organization recommends for managing diabetes due to the high cost of the medications.
The agency advised people to only purchase semaglutide products such as Ozempic from licensed physicians and avoid buying from unknown sources. The counterfeit item was found containing another type of diabetes medication called insulin glargine injection that “reportedly led to an adver.
