More than 40% of adults in the United States aged 20 and older are considered obese. In recent years, there has been a demand for weight loss medications as more people became interested in shedding off their excess weight.
Before opting for surgery, many individuals choose to start using oral medications or injectables first. Not only are they less invasive, but they also get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, the increase in the popularity of weight loss drugs on the market also means that there is an increase in the production of counterfeit versions.
One study published in JAMA Network revealed that almost half of the weight loss drugs sold online are illegal. When it comes to semaglutide, for example, Wegovy is the only FDA-approved brand solely for weight management. On the other hand, Ozempic, another brand that has been gaining popularity in the last few years due to many Hollywood celebrities using it, is used for type 2 diabetes. This means that it is not FDA-approved for weight loss. Nevertheless, this does not stop the public from purchasing the drug for slimming purposes.
Both of these are examples of counterfeit products sold by illegal pharmacies online. These types of shops do not have a valid license and sell drugs without a prescription. One thing to remember about GLP-1 medications like semaglutide is that they always require a doctor's prescription. However, the constant demand for weight loss drugs has resulted in a shortage of these popular medications, further increasing the production of counterfeits.
GLP-1s like tirzepatide and semaglutide have been some of the most common drugs to have fake versions in online stores. Some of the drugs were seen to contain salts or insulin or have no active ingredient at all. Retatrutide, a novel weight loss drug that is still undergoing further trials, has also been found as one of the compounds in the counterfeited products. This ingredient is not FDA-approved and must not be used in compounding under federal law. Nonetheless, this does not stop illegal markets from producing fake weight loss drugs.
In the US, there have been several cases of fake Ozempic and Wegovy drugs sold online by unauthorized sellers. In May 2024, Isis Navarro Reyes from Long Island, New York, was arrested for selling fake weight loss medications online using TikTok and other social media. In her videos, she showcases her products and instructs her viewers how to use them. She also describes her personal experience with the drugs and how effective they are. Reyes was charged with smuggling, receipt of misbranded drugs, dispensing prescription drugs without prescription, and conspiracy to introduce and deliver misbranded drugs across states. She may face more than 20 years in prison for all charges.
FDA-approved drugs have many possible side effects. What about illegal and counterfeit versions? Fake and unregulated weight loss medications pose significant health risks due to their unknown ingredients. Some of the reported adverse side effects of these drugs include seizures, coma, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which may progress to hypoglycemic shock.
Low blood sugar can be dangerous, especially to non-diabetic individuals, and is more challenging to treat than hyperglycemia due to many reasons, such as its rapid onset or limited treatment window.
Selling unregulated weight loss drugs is illegal, and many of these cases occur without buyer transparency. The result is people acquiring severe and life-threatening side effects without the knowledge that they have been using fake weight loss drugs.
If you came to suffer from serious side effects after using counterfeit weight loss injections, you cannot take legal action. Without being able to show prescription history, one of the eligibility requirements, you are not eligible to file a claim.