Semaglutide Products Being Sold Online Without Prescriptions
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2024 -- Semaglutide products are being sold online, with products likely unregistered or unlicensed, according to a research letter published online Aug. 2 in JAMA Network Open.
Amir Reza Ashraf, Pharm.D., from the University of Pécs in Hungary, and colleagues conducted a risk assessment of semaglutide online sourcing. Websites advertising semaglutide without a prescription were cataloged in July 2023; those meeting inclusion criteria were selected for a product test buy protocol. Two 0.25-mg dose prefilled pens or equivalent injection vials were ordered from each website and compared to genuine Ozempic brand 1-mg semaglutide solution.
Six online vendors classified as not recommended or rogue and offering parenteral semaglutide products were included in the test buys. Three offered prefilled 0.25-mg/dose semaglutide injection pens and three sold vials of lyophilized semaglutide. The researchers found that genuine Ozempic scored the full 22 points on the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) checklist, while test purchased products scored 8 or 9; clear discrepancies were seen in regulatory registration information, accurate labeling, and evidence that products were likely unregistered or unlicensed. One sample had elevated endotoxin, indicating possible contamination. The presence of semaglutide was revealed in all samples, with considerably low purity levels (7 to 14 percent versus 99 percent advertised). In each sample, the measured semaglutide content substantially exceeded the labeled amount.
"Semaglutide products are actively being sold without prescription by illegal online pharmacies, with vendors shipping unregistered and falsified products," the authors write. "Two websites evaluated were sent FDA warning letters for unlawful sale of unapproved and misbranded semaglutide."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Read this next
Prevalence of Extremely Severe Obesity Increasing in Children
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 -- From 2008 to 2023, there was an increase in the prevalence of extremely severe obesity in children, especially among older adolescents and non-Hispanic...
Long-Term Obesity Linked to Expression of Aging Biomarkers
THURSDAY, July 17, 2025 -- Long-term obesity is associated with the expression of biomarkers denoting antagonistic and integrative aging hallmarks in adults aged 28 to 31 years...
ENDO: Older Age, Female Sex Tied to Greater Muscle Loss With Semaglutide
THURSDAY, July 17, 2025 -- Older age and female sex may be associated with greater muscle loss in adults with obesity prescribed semaglutide, and greater muscle loss is...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.