Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind the diabetes drug Ozempic, has reported record sales of the medication. However, there has been an alarming increase in the sale of counterfeit versions of Ozempic. The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has identified two wholesalers who were selling falsely labelled Ozempic pre-filled pens. The counterfeit products were imported from legitimate suppliers in Austria and Germany, but the MHRA assures that these counterfeit pens have not been supplied to UK patients.
This news follows reports from the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) of counterfeit Ozempic being sold in Germany. The original and counterfeit drugs had identical outer packaging, but the primary packaging of the fake products was different. Ozempic, which has been approved for treating type 2 diabetes and is available in three doses, has also been used off-label to treat obesity. Novo Nordisk reported significant global sales for Ozempic in the first half of 2023.
In June 2023, Novo Nordisk raised concerns about counterfeit Ozempic after it was found in the US. The counterfeit product contained insulin glargine and caused adverse reactions in patients. In the UK, the counterfeit Ozempic had the same packaging as the fake German products previously identified by the BfArM. The MHRA advises anyone who suspects an adverse reaction or doubts the safety or authenticity of Ozempic to report it to their Yellow Card scheme. Despite these counterfeit incidents, Ozempic has shown positive results in treating diabetes and reducing the risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease-related mortality.
