Weight-loss drug features in Irish illegal meds seizures

Ireland's drugs regulator intercepted 700,000 illegal medicines in the first six months of 2024, with products claiming to be Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug semaglutide among the most commonly seized items.

The Health Products Regulatory Agency (HPRA) said there had been a "notable rise" in the detentions of semaglutide products – sold as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity – with 783 units seized compared to 286 in the whole of 2023.

Falsified versions of semaglutide have been found around the world as criminals try to cash in on the runaway success of the GLP-1 receptor agonist, fuelled by a buzz on social media and clinical data showing that the drug can help people lose around 15% of their body weight when combined with diet and exercise.

First-quarter sales of Wegovy doubled to $1.4bn in the first quarter of the year, with Ozempic contributing another $4bn on top of that. That massive demand has left Novo Nordisk struggling to meet demand for the drug, and unscrupulous groups have taken advantage. The FDA in the US has issued multiple warnings to the public to beware of falsified versions of semaglutide.

Aside from the risks of infections and other complications from illegal versions of the injectable drug, counterfeit medicines claiming to be semaglutide have been found to contain insulin, with life-threatening consequences for users.

All told, the HPRA seized 706,881 doses of falsified and illegal medicines, up from 551,582 units for the same period last year. The most significant categories of illegal products detained included anabolic steroids (23 per cent), analgesics (14 per cent), sedatives (11 per cent) and erectile dysfunction medicines (10 per cent).

Enforcement actions resulted in 1,603 e-commerce listings and/or social media pages being amended or shut down, with one prosecution initiated and four voluntary formal cautions issued.

"It's alarming to see consumers willing to take risks by purchasing illegal medicines online and from unregulated sources and this includes products for cosmetic and body image purposes," said Grainne Power, director of compliance at the HPRA.

"One such example is the amount of illegal anabolic steroids detained," she added. "We believe young men, in particular, may be sourcing anabolic steroids for body enhancement while being unaware of the serious health complications posed by these products. Anabolic steroids can cause serious physical and psychological health issues. The potential physical side effects alone include heart failure, liver issues, kidney damage, and infertility."

"When consumers acquire any medicinal substances outside the regulated supply chain, they forego any assurance of safety, quality, or effectiveness. Some of these substances might not be authorised by any global health authority, while others may be counterfeit or falsified despite appearing legitimate. It's crucial not to compromise your health by taking such risks," said Power.