Doctors in region warn against fake versions of weight loss drugs
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Experts in the two-state region are sounding the alarm over diluted or even fake versions of a popular weight-loss drug.
Popular drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound are normally used to help shed some pounds, but experts said that weight loss can come at a cost for those who aren’t careful about what they’re taking.
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“People do it because people are desperate to lose weight,” said bariatrics physician Dr. Morris Washington with Grand Strand Medical Center.
Washington said desperation to lose weight is what’s motivating some people to use potentially dangerous knock-off drugs.
“Compounding pharmacies aren’t going to make it anymore. Now you have it coming on the black market, from China, and stuff like that,” said Washington.
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Washington explained that when these drugs first came out, there was such a demand that the FDA approved smaller pharmacies to make the drugs, in a practice called compounding. However, he said when drugs are compounded, there’s a risk for contamination and inaccurate dosing.
“The FDA strictly warns against their usage,” said Washington. “We worry about sterility. The dosage is a little bit different. You can maybe overdose yourself, and be vomiting.”
Washington said he’s even heard about people getting scammed with vials of a saline solution instead of actual weight loss medication.
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“You buy it. You inject it. Nothing happens. There’s a lot of counterfeiters out here. It’s just like scheming people,” said Washington.
As of this week, the Food and Drug istration has made it illegal to compound these weight-loss drugs.
This comes after the agency found counterfeit vials of “Ozempic” earlier this month, bearing the serial and lot numbers you see below.
The FDA said these vials pose a safety risk.
Washington said if you’re thinking about getting on a weight loss medication, you should check with a professional.
GSMC said its doctors only write prescriptions for FDA-approved drugs.
If you think you have a batch of contaminated Ozempic, the FDA said you should check your vial, then report it before throwing it out.
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