Fraudulent anti-diabetic injection pens are circulating in Europe

Joel Saget Agence France-Presse The injectable antidiabetic drug Ozempic is very popular on the networks for its slimming properties, although it is not indicated for medical purposes.

The European and French health authorities have alerted pharmacists to the circulation of injector pens falsely labeled as Ozempic, a treatment for diabetes misused for weight loss purposes, very popular on social networks.

“As a precaution, we call on all actors in the supply chain to be vigilant,” wrote the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) on Monday in an information note intended for community pharmacists and hospital

“At this stage, no alert has been reported in France”, but it is “important to check the traceability of the serial number” during dispensing, underlines the ANSM.

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According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), “pre-filled pens falsely labeled as Ozempic (semaglutide, 1mg, solution for injection), a medicine indicated in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, have been identified at certain wholesalers of the 'European Union and the United Kingdom.'

These fraudulent pens, bearing labeling from Germany, were identified at distributors in Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom, according to the EMA which explains that there are “differences in appearance between the falsified pen and the authentic pen.”

The batches of falsified Ozempic showed inactive serial numbers on the scanner, which triggered the alert.

The situation is currently the subject of an investigation by EU medicines regulators and the police, emphasizes the EMA.

For the At this time, “nothing indicates that falsified pens were issued to patients by pharmacies”, according to her.

The injectable antidiabetic Ozempic is very popular on the networks for its slimming property, however outside medical indication.