Warning over ‘life-threatening’ fake Ozempic jabs sold by bogus online pharmacies

Warnings have been issued out of fake weight loss cut It could be “deadly” after thousands of fraudulent online pharmacies were discovered.

False versions of OzempicA Popular Jab weight loss brandwere sold for as little as £ 13.70 per dose, as well as counterfeit versions of other brands, including Rybelsus and Metformin pills, offered from 24p.

The United Kingdom’s medication regulator has said that taking false medication could not only make people sick, but in some cases could be fatal.

Researchers from the Cybersecurity Society Gen, which conducted the investigation, warned The “dangerous” threat The global scam involving more than 5,000 false pharmacy sites this year, which they say, are led by criminal networks.

It arrives in the middle of the rapid rise in weight loss drugs in the United Kingdom – with around 1.5 million people, 4% of households, currently using them.

Gen has also found a fake viagra, a medication used to treat erection problems and unregulated fertility pills sold. The company said laboratory tests have found no active ingredient in a third of the tested drugs.

Andy Morling, assistant director of the law enforcement Regulatory agency for drugs and health products (Mhra), said The independent: “The purchase of drugs from illegal suppliers considerably increases the risk of receiving products that are falsified or unauthorized for use in the United Kingdom. Products purchased in this way will not meet the Strict quality and safety standards of the MHRA, and the taking of such drugs can endanger health.”

“Prescription and over -the -counter false drugs manage to work, but can also make you sick. Even worse, in the most serious cases, they can contain dangerous ingredients, potentially leading to death,” added the regulator.

Researchers warned that “alarming” polished websites, with false customer service information, detailed products pages and seemed similar to legitimate online pharmacies.

But many have been detected as counterfeits because they used AI to create criticism, health blogs, live cat support and manipulated search results.

In addition to health implications, researchers said British customers risked their details and identity stolen by sites.

Siggi Stefcision, head of cyber security technology in Gen, warned: “The purchase of pharmaceutical products from unreliable online retailers is a serious danger, both for individual health and digital security.

“From the point of view of public health, counterfeit or unregulated drugs can be ineffective or even fatal. It is essential that consumers only use licensed online pharmacies and reputed to protect themselves from cybercrime and potential physical damage. ”

The popularity of weight loss strokes has climbed in the past year, with the NHSis the best doctor, Sir Stephen Powis, saying that they could soon become among the most commonly used drugs.

Ozempic and Rybelsus, who have the active ingredient semaglutide, are not authorized as a weight loss treatment. Instead, they are designed to treat people with type 2 diabetes, but both are sometimes prescribed out of AMM to treat weight loss.

However, Jabs Wegovy, popular weight loss, which has the same active ingredient, and Mounjaro, which uses active ingredient shooting, are both authorized in the United Kingdom for the treatment of weight loss.

Gen explained that criminals take advantage of people looking for a rapid and discreet way to obtain weight loss treatment with high demand, among other drugs that are often sought quickly, in private or at a lower cost.

In addition to the vast network of more than 5,000 web areas fraudulently selling drugs on demand, said Gen, only this year, it has already blocked 1 million attacks from these sites against online buyers without distrust.

Laura Wilson, director of Royal Pharmaceutical SocietySaid false and illegal online pharmacies “are a growing threat to patient safety.”

She explained that fraudulent drugs can be obsolete, of lower quality or contain “dangerous” substances. Gen said his team is currently working on the test of false medicines to determine exactly what they are done.

The company has advisable consumers to monitor the low-cost offers of drugs only on prescription, missing contact details, requests for cryptocurrency payments, unmarked payment processes and guests to sensitive personal, medical or financial data.

Novo Nordisk, the company that manufactures Ozempic and Rybelsus, said that it was aware that counterfeit Ozempic products are sold in the United Kingdom and work with health authorities, including MHRA, to investigate the “critical problem”.

He advised people to examine the packaging and styling closely before using them.

Mr. Morling said that the MHRA fell on the issue of false medicines and pharmacies, offenders are potentially confronted with criminal investigations and prosecution.

The independent A approached Pfizer, the company that manufactures viagra, for comments.