FDA Seizes ‘Thousands of Doses’ of Fake Ozempic

The Food and Drug Administration has seized “thousands of doses” of counterfeit Ozempic doses and is warning consumers that it comes from legitimate drug supply chain sources.

 Five individuals have experienced illness, although none have developed serious conditions. The symptoms observed align with the known side effects of Ozempic.

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Retailers, health care practitioners and patients are asked to verify the authenticity of their semaglutide products as the agency continues to investigate the matter.

The FDA recommended that pharmacies only purchase Ozempic through authorized distributors of Novo Nordisk, the drug manufacturer. Products should also be reviewed with the accompanying photographs to verify their legitimacy.

Both the FDA and Novo Nordisk are testing the seized products and do not have information about their identity, quality or safety. 

However, the they determined that the needles in the products were fake, putting the sterility of the needles in doubt. The products’ pen label, accompanying patient information and carton were also identified as counterfeit. 

Meanwhile, patients should not use any products labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057.

Any business that sells counterfeit or tampered medications can be reported to the FDA by calling the local consumer complaint coordinator or by anonymously filing a suspected criminal activity report.

Novo Nordisk customer care can be reached at 800-727-6500 to address additional questions or concerns.

How to spot genuine vs. fake Ozempic

Courtesy FDA