Numerous individuals in Austria have been hospitalized after using a supposed fake weight-loss medication, Ozempic.
Austria’s Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG) reported “serious side effects,” including low blood sugar and seizures, indicating that the counterfeit drugs contained insulin instead of Ozempic’s active ingredient, semaglutide.
Ozempic has gained popularity as a weight-loss treatment, and an investigation is underway.
The Austrian Criminal Intelligence Service (BK) stated that the affected individuals received the syringes from a doctor in Austria and warned that counterfeit stocks of the drug may still be in circulation. These fake injection pens were distinguished by a darker blue color compared to genuine ones.
Austria’s Federal Office for Safety in Health Care has urged doctors and patients to inspect their supplies, emphasizing that Ozempic is increasingly being used for weight loss purposes, though it is not approved for such use.
Both the Austrian police and the Ministry of Health have cautioned the public against using weight-loss injections from untrustworthy sources.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently raised concerns about the surge in demand for Ozempic, leading to shortages for diabetic patients.
Last week, the EMA and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued warnings about counterfeit Ozempic injection pens originating from suppliers in Austria and Germany, which were discovered in UK and EU wholesalers.
The MHRA assured that all affected pens had been recalled and accounted for, with none supplied to UK patients.
They were collaborating with international regulatory partners to safeguard the supply chain’s security.
Source-BBC
