The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a medical product alert regarding falsified semaglutides, a type of medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity in certain countries. The alert pertains to three falsified batches of semaglutide medications (specifically the brand Ozempic), which were discovered in Brazil in October 2023, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in October 2023, and the United States of America in December 2023.
The WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS) has noted an increase in reports of falsified semaglutide products across all regions since 2022. This marks the first official announcement by the WHO following the confirmation of some of these reports. Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, stated, “WHO urges healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities, and the public to remain vigilant regarding these counterfeit medication batches. We encourage stakeholders to cease the use of any suspicious medications and report such cases to the relevant authorities.”
Supply shortages and rising incidents of counterfeiting have been identified for semaglutides, a medication commonly prescribed to individuals with type 2 diabetes to decrease blood sugar levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular events. While most semaglutide formulations require weekly subcutaneous injections, some are available as daily oral tablets.
These medications have been found to curb appetite in addition to regulating blood sugar levels, leading to an increase in their prescription for weight loss in certain regions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted a surge in the demand for semaglutides along with reports of counterfeit products.
Counterfeit medications pose serious health risks as they may lack essential ingredients, potentially resulting in health issues stemming from uncontrolled blood sugar levels or weight problems. Additionally, falsified products may contain undisclosed active substances like insulin in the injection mechanism, leading to a variety of unpredictable health complications.
Semaglutides are not among the treatments recommended by the World Health Organization for managing diabetes due to their high current cost. This cost issue makes these products unsuitable for a public health approach, which aims to provide broad access to medications at the population level while balancing the best-established standard of care with what is feasible on a large scale in resource-limited settings.
There are more affordable diabetes treatments available that have similar effects to semaglutides on blood sugar and cardiovascular risk. The World Health Organization is currently developing a rapid advice guideline regarding the potential use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, which include semaglutides, for treating obesity in adults as part of a more comprehensive care model. GLP-1 RAs are medications used to lower blood sugar and aid in weight loss for diabetes treatment.
Individuals using these products can take actions to protect themselves from counterfeit medicines and their harmful impacts. These actions include purchasing medicines with prescriptions from licensed physicians and avoiding purchasing medications from unknown or unverified sources, particularly those online. It is important for individuals to always verify the packaging and expiry dates of medicines when making a purchase and to use the products as directed. For injectable semaglutides, patients should ensure they are stored in the refrigerator.
