Good morning all,
This is our first ever official blog post and we wanted to cover a rather serious topic. Let's hope you've had your coffee and are ready for this... Fake Ozempic!
As some of you will know when completing our health forms and you're requesting a dose which is higher than the official starting dose, we ask you to provide proof of usage to ensure we are getting the right strength prescribed & dispensed for you.
We have received a few emails lately from customers who have provided evidence of previous usage from other suppliers where the pens look a bit odd or different. Some have even submitted pictures of little glass vials of powdered Semaglutide (the generic and active medication within Ozempic, Wegovy & Rybelsus) alongside some little insulin syringes/needles and a leaflet/text explaining to them how to mix the powder with Water for Injection so they can draw it up & inject it... wait... RED FLAG! Expecting you to mix your own medication to get the right strength before injecting? WTF??
Does any of the below sound familiar?
"I can get you Ozempic/Saxenda/Wegovy - I've got loads in stock, available and cheap!"
"I have a few spare pens leftover as I can't use it anymore"
"I've got a spare pen or two as I've reached my target weight now"
or
"It's 99% pure, I've had it independently tested"
"It's raw semaglutide, so it's the purest form and the best to lose weight"
"I've got a certificate of authenticity, so I know it's genuine"
In the words of Nan... "what a liberty!"
But all comedy aside, these can be very dangerous for your health and potentially deadly. It's also lining the pockets of those who are not regulated or have any professional responsibility or liability or a duty of care to safely oversee your health.
You may have seen in the British press or on the TV about fake Ozempic and powdered semaglutide entering the UK market. This has been gradually creeping into our lives via different routes - social media, market places, beauty treatment clinics, salons etc. Some even claim to have Certificates of Authenticity, which perhaps they were missold to by a supplier of fake or illegal forms of Semaglutide. It can be tricky to know what's real and what is not. It can also be tricky with wanting to lose weight but given the current cost of living crisis, the cheaper alternatives seem like a good deal at the time...
And if you don't know what the processes of getting medications should be or you're not used to the official packaging & formats of this medication, it can be even harder to spot the dodgy sellers! So let's play a little game...
Spot the Difference:
Like a lot of counterfeits, it can be very difficult to see the differences initially but when you look closer, there are a few differences between the structure, mechanism and packaging of the fake Ozempic.
Some key differences can be:
GENUINE OZEMPIC:
Genuine Novo Nordisk Ozempic pens do not extend/increase in length when setting the dose.
The dose dial window only shows the intended doses and no in between e.g. 0.25mg, 0.5mg and 1mg only.
The glass chamber/vial containing the medication is framed & is visibly held within the pen's framework. There are no markings on the glass chamber/vial.
Authentic Ozempic® pens in the UK are currently available in the following configuration - 0.25mg pen, 0.5mg pen, 1 mg pen
The box containing authentic Ozempic® will include 4 needles which attach directly onto the pen.
COUNTERFEIT OZEMPIC:
A counterfeit pen may extend in length when you dial the dose.
The glass chamber/vial is fully exposed without any frame and shows markings on the glass.
The label on a counterfeit pen could be of poor quality and may not adhere well to the pen.
A counterfeit carton may have spelling mistakes on the front of the box (i.e., 1pen and 4 doses without space between ‘1’ and ‘pen’) as seen in photo below.
The batch number printed on a counterfeit box may not correspond to the product strength stated on the same box and pen.
Please click on the pictures below to spot the differences between Genuine Ozempic and Counterfeit Ozempic:
What about powder Semaglutide?
You may have seen a completely different version of Semaglutide on social media, the news or via online sellers. This is also a highly dangerous product, which we have seen a LOT of posts on Facebook Ozempic support groups of people buying, selling & using this.
Compounded, raw or powdered forms of Semaglutide have been growing in popularity online during 2023. This version of Semaglutide comes in a small glass vial with insulin syringes and Water for Injection so that you can mix the medication yourself at home before administering it.
This form of Semaglutide is NOT produced nor condoned by Novo Nordisk, who are the only license holder for manufacturing & distributing Semaglutide. Therefore, those selling this version of semaglutide are doing so illegally and will not be from a medically qualified background. Regardless of "certificates of authenticity" or "99% Purity" claims, this form of semaglutide is NOT for human consumption and should not be taken.
Anyone selling this form of semaglutide will not be getting it from UK based pharmacies or UK based prescribers - in the bluntest terms, they are most likely shipping it from abroad from unregulated suppliers, regardless of "certificates of authenticity" or claims of "99% purity" or "independent testing to ensure it is genuine".
If they're advising people on social media about how much water to add and how to mix up the medication to get the right dose, then it's another RED FLAG. The best one we saw was an eye lash artist selling & advising people on how to mix the medication - not to discredit to eye lash artists or their skills at all (we all love a good set of lashes) but they are simply not qualified to advise on medication.
Please see the gallery below for examples of this type of Semaglutide:
Why are these dangerous?
First and foremost - if the product is fake, you do not know what you are injecting into yourself with. You are basically accepting a substance from a stranger with no traceability of what the product is or where it has come from. If it has not been dispensed by a UK registered pharmacy, it should not be in your possession.
An investigation by regulators in Europe, America and the UK have found these fake pens can contain insulin. Taking insulin in this manner can cause a dangerous drop in your blood sugars (hypoglycemia), leading to palpitations, dizziness, confusion, slurred speech and, if untreated, a far worse outcome. Others have reported nausea, vomiting, extreme stomach cramps and have had to seek hospital treatment.
Taking compound, raw or powdered semaglutide can be very dangerous for several reasons:
You do not know what the powder actually is
It is ILLEGAL to sell compounded / raw / powdered form of Semaglutide. No GPhC pharmacy or registered prescriber in the UK will give you this item. Notoriously, it has been found through sales channels on social media sites and through beauty practitioners / salons
Advice on how to take this medication typically comes from social media sites/groups and NOT via someone with medical qualifications.
It is labelled "Not Fit for Human Consumption" as it has not been properly manufactured for use in your body.
Mixing the powder incorrectly could result in an overdose, leading to adverse effects, extreme side effects or a worse outcome.
How to Report Fake Ozempic / Raw Semaglutide:
Although we have taken a lighter tone with this post, please please please be wary of social media ads, Facebook Groups, Telegram Groups, Insta-Reels and other forms where people who are unqualified, unregistered, unregulated are trying to sell you a cheap deal... if it's a lot cheaper than everywhere that has a genuine website & pharmacy supply chain, there will be a good reason! It's either counterfeit or illegal substances.
The MHRA should be alerted to any suspected fake medications or illegal medications being sold to the general public. You can do this through their Yellow Card Scheme via this link: https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
If you have any concerns about fake or counterfeit medications, please contact the MHRA directly. Alternatively, you can contact us - we can sign post you to the right contact or pass information on anonymously for you.
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