Several hospitalised in Austria after using suspected fake diabetes drug

[Amity Island]

Several people have been admitted to hospital in Austria after using suspected fake versions of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic, the country’s health safety body has said, the first report of harm to users as a European hunt for counterfeiters widened.

The patients were reported to have suffered hypoglycaemia and seizures, serious side-effects that indicate that the product contained insulin instead of Ozempic’s active ingredient semaglutide, the health safety regulator Bundesamt für Sicherheit im Gesundheitswesen (BASG) said on Monday.


The European Medicines Agency (EMA) warned last week that pens falsely labelled as Ozempic were in circulation, and Austria’s criminal investigation service said on Monday that the fake injection pens could still be in circulation.

Several hospitalised in Austria after using suspected fake diabetes drug

Health regulator says serious side-effects possibly caused by insulin in counterfeit versions of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic

www.theguardian.com

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I can see how a Flexipen could be mislabelled. But there is also a colour coding with the plastic. Anyone familiar with what's prescribed would pick this up. Hopefully.

 

[rebrascora]

My guess would be that these are not necessarily diabetics but people desperate to lose weight and wanting to get Ozempic for that purpose due partly to media hype, by any means they can. I know a friend of mine went on an online source to obtain Wegovy or one of the other alternatives and lied about her weight to get it as she didn't fulfil the BMI criteria for it to be prescribed here in the UK. She spend a lot of money for the private online consult and prescription and then it made her ill and she was too frightened to continue taking it. Not saying that what she bought was counterfeit, but the side effects at least at first can be unpleasant..... added to perhaps anxiety because you know that you lied to get it and probably shouldn't be taking it... Easier weight loss is the holy grail and people want it and are prepared to lie and take risks to get it.