These trying to shed weight earlier than the New Yr might need to heed an essential warning.
On Thursday, the FDA stated it had seized “hundreds of items” of counterfeit Ozempic, an injectable semaglutide used as a weight-loss drug, that had made its method to pharmacies and suppliers.
The company says 5 individuals have been affected by the counterfeit medicine thus far, however that their circumstances weren’t severe and their signs have been “per recognized frequent unwanted side effects” of genuine Ozempic, together with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
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The FDA has warned that not solely is the Ozempic substance itself faux, however so are the drug info, the label, the field and the needle used for the injection, noting that there is no such thing as a method to verify that the needles are sterile.
Sufferers and pharmacies are inspired to purchase the substance solely via distributors approved by Novo Nordisk, the producer of Ozempic.
“FDA takes experiences of potential counterfeit merchandise significantly and works carefully with different federal businesses and the personal sector to guard the nation’s drug provide,” the company wrote in a press release. “FDA’s investigation is ongoing, and the company is working with Novo Nordisk to establish, examine, and take away additional suspected counterfeit semaglutide injectable merchandise discovered within the U.S.”
In June, Novo Nordisk filed lawsuits towards 5 medical spas and wellness clinics in 4 US states for allegedly promoting counterfeit Ozempic and Wegovy, one other weight-loss drug.
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“Our precedence is to make sure that sufferers have a protected and optimistic expertise with our FDA-approved semaglutide medicines, and these actions are a direct reflection of that focus,” stated Doug Langa, president of Novo Nordisk, in an organization assertion on the time. . “We imagine it is very important present extra instruments and training to assist the correct use of our permitted semaglutide merchandise and to create broad public consciousness of the distinction between our FDA-approved medicine and different merchandise labeled as semaglutide.”
Those that imagine they might have been bought counterfeit medicine are inspired to report it to the FDA right here.