A recent study has revealed that many online pharmacies selling semaglutide, a key ingredient in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, are operating illegally. The research, published on Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open, highlights significant concerns about the legality and safety of these online transactions.
The study focused on identifying websites that advertised semaglutide without requiring a prescription during the summer of last year. Researchers discovered that 42.27 percent of the online pharmacies they investigated were involved in illegal operations. These sites were found to be distributing unregistered and falsified versions of semaglutide. Notably, two of the websites examined had received warning letters from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for selling unapproved and misbranded products.
Tim Mackey, a co-author of the study and professor at the University of California, San Diego, expressed concern about the risks faced by consumers purchasing these medications online. He warned that individuals buying semaglutide from these sources might receive counterfeit, ineffective, and potentially hazardous drugs.
This issue aligns with recent warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO), which reported in June the presence of fake semaglutide products being sold in various countries. WHO’s assistant director-general for Access to Medicines and Health Products, Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, urged healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities, and the public to be vigilant about these counterfeit medicines and report any suspicious products.
The study also notes that the high cost of semaglutide—up to $1,300 per month—has contributed to the increase in online searches for the drug. The high demand and limited availability have led to a rise in counterfeit products. Additionally, the study points out that insurance plans often do not cover these medications, and Medicare does not reimburse for weight loss prescriptions, further driving people to seek the drug from online sources.
Mackey and his team tested six different semaglutide samples purchased from various online pharmacies. They found that at least two of these pharmacies had been warned by the FDA for illegal sales of misbranded semaglutide. The research also revealed that the online drugs contained up to 39 percent more semaglutide than indicated on the labels. Such overdoses can cause severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and dangerously low blood sugar levels, according to the FDA.
In response to the issue, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced in June that it is pursuing legal action against med-spas, wellness centers, and other entities that have used unapproved products resembling its weight loss drugs.
