Authorities have issued a dire warning after a woman suffered a life-threatening reaction from a counterfeit Ozempic as scammers flood with fake replicas of the ‘miracle’ weight loss drug.
The Aussie woman suffered a serious medical episode after using an insulin pen purchased from overseas that she believed was Ozempic.
Medical authorities warn scammers are shipping fakes into to profit from the worldwide shortage of the drug.
Photos released by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) medical watchdog and n Border Force show seized insulin pens that display Ozempic branding and even include ‘batch numbers’ but aren’t legitimate.
Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk confirmed the batch number associated with the adverse event, JS7A925, and the NPSG234 number displayed on the seized pens were not genuine.
The fakes also have blue end cap rather than the grey ones real Ozempic pens use, a sticker that came off easily and a different dose mechanism than the authentic ones.
Other red flags to spot a counterfeit include spelling errors, instructions leaflets not in English and changes in medicine size, shape or appearance.
Despite being fake, the counterfeits were imported by ns who had genuine prescriptions.
The TGA warned that it was easy to be fooled.
‘Manufacturers of counterfeit goods are producing products that, to the untrained eye, may appear legitimate, highlighting the need to purchase your medicines from legitimate sources,’ a TGA spokesperson said.
‘For your safety, always buy medicines from reputable sources and consult your healthcare provider or local registered pharmacy if you have any concerns.
‘We strongly advise extreme caution when buying medicines from unknown overseas websites and recommend obtaining them from an n pharmacy.’
The TGA said the fakes were a serious health risk and this has been shown by multiple adverse events overseas.
Fake Ozempic injections may contain insulin, which is a lifesaving medication used daily by diabetics to lower blood sugar but when used by people not suffering that condition it can cause dangerously low, life-threatening blood sugar levels.
The ABF vowed to destroy all future fakes seized before entering the country.
Authorities urged ns to call triple-zero or get other emergency medical assistance if someone has symptoms of severe low blood sugar ‘after using a product labelled as Ozempic’.
Symptoms of low blood sugar can include accelerated heartbeat, shaking, profuse sweating, dizziness, insatiable hunger, confusion or irritability and nervousness or anxiety.
Ozempic was developed specifically to treat diabetes but because of its appetite suppressant qualities it has become widely used by non-diabetics to lose weight.
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