Authorities have issued a dire warning after a lady suffered a life-threatening response from a counterfeit Ozempic as scammers flood Australia with faux replicas of the ‘miracle’ weight reduction drug.
The Aussie lady suffered a severe medical episode after utilizing an insulin pen bought from abroad that she believed was Ozempic.
Medical authorities warn scammers are transport fakes into Australia to revenue from the worldwide scarcity of the drug.
Pictures launched by the Therapeutic Items Administration (TGA) medical watchdog and Australian Border Pressure present seized insulin pens that show Ozempic branding and even embody ‘batch numbers’ however aren’t reliable.
Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk confirmed the batch quantity related to the opposed occasion, JS7A925, and the NPSG234 quantity displayed on the seized pens weren’t real.
The fakes even have blue finish cap moderately than the gray ones actual Ozempic pens use, a sticker that got here off simply and a distinct dose mechanism than the genuine ones.
Different purple flags to identify a counterfeit embody spelling errors, directions leaflets not in English and modifications in medication measurement, form or look.
Regardless of being faux, the counterfeits have been imported by Australians who had real prescriptions.
Among the insulin pens seized by Australian Border Pressure which might be falsely labelled as Ozempic doses
This photograph reveals the distinction between a faux Ozempic pen and an actual one from the maker Novo Nordisk
The TGA warned that it was simple to be fooled.
‘Producers of counterfeit items are producing merchandise that, to the untrained eye, might seem reliable, highlighting the necessity to buy your medicines from reliable sources,’ a TGA spokesperson mentioned.
‘In your security, at all times purchase medicines from respected sources and seek the advice of your healthcare supplier or native registered pharmacy if in case you have any considerations.
‘We strongly advise excessive warning when shopping for medicines from unknown abroad web sites and advocate acquiring them from an Australian pharmacy.’
The packaging for faux Ozempic pens, which scammers are producing to revenue from the worldwide scarcity of the drug
The TGA mentioned the fakes have been a severe well being danger and this has been proven by a number of opposed occasions abroad.
Pretend Ozempic injections might include insulin, which is a lifesaving treatment used each day by diabetics to decrease blood sugar however when utilized by individuals not struggling that situation it could actually trigger dangerously low, life-threatening blood sugar ranges.
The ABF vowed to destroy all future fakes seized earlier than getting into the nation.
Authorities urged Australians to name triple-zero or get different emergency medical help if somebody has signs of extreme low blood sugar ‘after utilizing a product labelled as Ozempic’.
Signs of low blood sugar can embody accelerated heartbeat, shaking, profuse sweating, dizziness, insatiable starvation, confusion or irritability and nervousness or nervousness.
Ozempic was developed particularly to deal with diabetes however due to its urge for food suppressant qualities it has develop into broadly utilized by non-diabetics to drop some pounds.
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