WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s the time of year again when people start making resolutions.
A common goal is to lose weight.
There’s a new warning about a drug many people are also using to lose weight — ozempic.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already seized thousands of counterfeit versions of the drug.
Officials are worried more is still out there.
For several years now, Ozempic — also known as Semaglutide — has been used by adults with Type 2 diabetes to improve their blood sugar levels.
But recently, it’s almost been used to help with weight loss.
“People started to utilize the medication without having a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes to get the benefit of reduction in the appetite and reducing their weight,” Dr. Malek Cheikh with MedStar Health said.
That sparked a rise in demand and also led to the production of counterfeits.
Five illnesses have been reported linked to those fake versions.
While none of the side effects have been serious — the FDA and drug maker Novo Nordisk are testing the counterfeits for possible dangers, including ingredients that may not be approved for use.
“Some versions of it was not really produced by the manufacturer. So there is no way to figure out what is the medication inside of the pen and whether it’s going to be beneficial versus harmful,” Cheikh said.
This all comes as Ozempic oversees are also on the rise.
The American Poison Center said there’s been a nearly 1,500 percent increase in cases involving Semaglutide since 2019.
Doctors said patients need to be extra careful with using the correct amount of the drug.
THE FDA is advising wholesalers, pharmacies, and healthcare workers on how to make sure they have authentic Ozempic and encourage patients to double-check their medication serial numbers on the FDA website.