Alert: Beware of Counterfeit Ozempic Weight Loss Medication According to FDA

NORTH CAROLINA — A warning has been issued by the FDA regarding counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) circulating in the US drug supply chain.

The FDA and Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, are advising patients, healthcare providers, and pharmacies to verify the authenticity of their Ozempic prescriptions. Novo Nordisk has acknowledged the presence of several hundred units of Ozempic injection 1 mg that have been distributed outside of their authorized supply channels.

According to the manufacturer, it is possible to identify the counterfeit products by examining the label. The fake products can be identified by a label that displays a legitimate lot number (PAR0362) along with an unauthorized serial number starting with the first eight digits 51746517. The presence of this specific combination indicates a counterfeit product, as confirmed by the FDA, and such items should not be used.

The FDA and the manufacturer say they’re testing the fake products to identify whether they’re safe. Neither Novo Nordisk nor FDA can confirm the contents or quality of the counterfeit product, which may present a safety risk for patients who use the counterfeit product.

This is not the first time we have warned you about counterfeit GLP-1 drugs. Besides the FDA, the FBI also issued this warning about fake compounding weight loss drugs on the market.

To protect yourself, the FDA is urging pharmacies and patients to check their 1 milligram of Ozempic supply to make sure they do not have the counterfeit product and compare the lot and serial numbers with what the FDA is saying are fakes. If you do have a counterfeit product, Novo Nordisk and the FDA want to hear from you. The manufacture advices retail pharmacies to purchase authentic Ozempic (semaglutide) injection 1 mg and other semaglutide-containing medicines through authorized distributors of Novo Nordisk.

The North Carolina Attorney General also issued a warning about fake weight loss drugs, and to date, they say there have been no reports of the fake drugs reported to their office.