Drug experts have revealed the two telltale signs that a weight loss jab bought online is fake — and could put you at risk of a life-threatening coma.
Counterfeit medications that pose as blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro are typically relabelled insulin injections, according to Andy Morling from drug watchdog the MHRA.
These fake Ozempic insulin pens will typically feature a stuck-on, suspicious-looking label and be darker in colour, experts say.
Fake medications are also often sold via social media or unregistered online pharmacies in vials or syringes, rather than the genuine pre-filled ‘pens’ prescribed by NHS doctors.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Mr Morling — who is the body’s Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement — warned that ‘fake’ versions of the jabs are flooding the online market, and there is ‘no way’ of knowing what’s in them.
‘There’s no way of knowing how it could have been prepared. It could be in a very unsterile environment and frequently this is the case.’
Experts have previously warned that some fake skinny jabs seized by authorities have been found to contain rat poison, cement, mercury and arsenic.
Others have too little of the active ingredient, or none at all, according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
A drugs expert has flagged the telltale signs of ‘fake’ Ozempic. Pictured: Top injection pen is fake, while bottom is a genuine jab of Ozempic.
Many are just insulin pens which could cause a surge in the hormone, leading to a potentially fatal plunge in blood sugar.
Doctors have reported that patients have suffered seizures and even been left in life-threatening comas as a result of using the fake jabs.
Morling said the rip-offs are so widely available that authorities are now concerned they could spill into the genuine supply chain and be sold in pharmacies.
Reports of fake slimming jabs in the UK first emerged in August 2023.
UK health officials say they have already seized more than 600 potentially fake Ozempic pens across the nation since the start of 2023.
Drugs watchdog the MHRA warned that Brits have been hospitalised with life-threatening side effects after injecting themselves with fake jabs being sold online.
The National Pharmacy Association previously urged would-be slimmers and diabetics struggling to obtain the medication to first speak to their pharmacist or GP – and use only regulated providers when buying privately.
Nick Kaye, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association, said: ‘Pharmacists remain deeply concerned about a potential explosion in the unlicensed sale of medication online.
Health officials have already seized more than 600 potentially fake Ozempic pens across the UK since the start of 2023
Mr Morling from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned of the risks of fake jabs slipping into the mainstream supply chain.
‘Stocks of Ozempic are very depleted. It is important that these remain prioritised for those in the most clinical need.
‘Given the precarious state of supply of this and other vital medication, there is a much greater risk of people looking to order in supplies from disreputable online vendors.’
Semaglutide, most commonly known as Ozempic, has been available on the NHS since 2019 for type 2 diabetics to manage blood sugar levels.
Another semaglutide drug was also approved for weight loss in 2022 under the brand Wegovy.
Tirzepatide, branded as Mounjaro, was given the green light earlier this year for the same reason.
The jabs, which belong to class of medications called GPL-1 agonists, have been shown to help users lose up to 33lbs (15.3kg) on average over 68 weeks.
They work by tricking the brain into thinking it’s full, consequently slashing appetite, and helping people lose weight as a result.
Under NHS guidelines only patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 35, or a BMI of 30 and at least one weight related health problem like high blood pressure, should be prescribed Wegovy.
While private prescribers aren’t bound by this, they still need to follow general professional guidelines and consider national guidance to ensure only patients that need the drug get access to it.
