Warning issued about ads for fake weight-loss drug Ozempic that pose serious ‘health risk'
Ireland's medicines watchdog has issued an urgent warning about ads for fake weight-loss drugs that pose 'a health risk' to the public.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said it has identified a 'surge' in online advertisements making 'spurious claims and featuring false endorsements'.
The advertisements often offer fake versions of drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide – the active ingredients in weight-loss jabs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
The HPRA said it had identified a significant increase in recent weeks of online content making false claims while promoting medicines, medical devices and cosmetics.
However, the Authority is specifically highlighting a new development 'where dubious sites and social media posts are using the HPRA logo to falsely claim featured products are endorsed' by the body.
'Other regulatory bodies internationally are being targeted in a similar way,' a HPRA statement reads.
'The unacceptable use of the HPRA logo and name in this way is clearly designed to deceive and mislead consumers.'
A genuine package of the Novo Nordisk weight loss drug Ozempic.
News in 90 Seconds - May 31st
As a result, the authority is urging members of the public not to buy such products online 'as they are likely to be from untrustworthy suppliers both engaged in illegal advertising and offering fake or unauthorised products that could pose a health risk'.
'As the independent regulator, the HPRA will never endorse or promote any specific health product or brand,' the statement adds.
According to the HPRA, they have observed a 'surge' in misleading website activity in May alone.
Hundreds of Facebook profiles and 414 Facebook advertisements have been identified making false claims 'with many also fraudulently stating that the product or brand is endorsed by the HPRA'.
The HPRA said it had alerted various platforms 'of this fraudulent activity and of the public health risks associated with illegal prescription medicines and other unregulated health products sold online'.
Grainne Power, Director of Compliance, HPRA, said that despite what is being claimed in recent posts, 'these illegal products are manufactured and sourced outside of Ireland'.
'We know that a lot of people are being duped into purchasing fake and illegal products via these sites,' Ms Power said.
'Working with Revenue's Customs Service, we have detained a significant number of products at point of entry to the country. A number of these purport to be genuine prescription medicines when in fact the products as presented do not exist as an authorised product in any market.'
Ms Power stressed that the key message is that the HPRA never endorses individual brands, 'nor do we allow our logo to be used in the promotion of health products'.
'Our advice to consumers is that if online sources feature a HPRA logo or suggest a HPRA endorsement, then this is actually a clear sign you are engaging with a dubious site and seller,' she added.
'At best you are wasting your money with these online scams but at worst you could be seriously endangering your health. We are advising that when it comes to prescription medicines, ensure that the product is prescribed by a healthcare professional and sourced from a local pharmacy.
'All medicines, medical devices and cosmetics should be purchased through trustworthy, reliable and recognised sources.'
In July of last year, a warning was issued to the public as fake Ozempic syringe seizures trebled in Ireland.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) revealed that 656 units of fake Ozempic were seized in Ireland within the first five months of 2024.
Only 254 units were seized in Ireland for all of the previous twelve months.
The Irish public has been warned not to purchase Ozempic from unknown sources, especially online.
Trinity Professor Luke O'Neill said fake Ozempic could be 'lethal' as people 'don't know' what they are purchasing.
'These are people making, not snake oil, but kind of a tube that hasn't got Ozempic in it, it's got something else and they are calling it Ozempic,' he told Newstalk.
'You don't know what you're getting.'
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