Fake versions of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic linked to 3 dangerous hypoglycemia cases in US: Reuters

Three dangerous cases of hypoglycemia in the US have been linked to fake versions of Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic, according to America's Poison Centers (formerly known as American Association of Poison Control Centers). The patients who experienced hypoglycemia sought medical treatment. One person also experienced hypoglycemia in 2023 after injecting a compounded version of Ozempic.

Most of the complaints regarding the drug were non-serious and included side effects such as nausea and vomiting that did not require hospitalization. However, 66 reports involved hypoglycemia, and nearly all of them appeared to have used the brand-name Ozempic.

The Austrian health regulator stated that the counterfeit products likely contained insulin instead of Ozempic's actual semaglutide. Belgium's drug regulator confirmed that some counterfeit Ozempic seized in that country contained insulin as well.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently investigating the issue. This news follows an earlier report where the FDA seized thousands of counterfeit Ozempic units.