WHO, Eli Lilly warn of fake weight-loss drugs

The World Health Organization and Eli Lilly warned Thursday of fake versions of Ozempic, Zepbound and other weight-loss drugs. Photo by Ida Marie Odgaard/EPA-EFE

Both the World Health Organization and Eli Lilly Co. warned Thursday that consumers should avoid fake versions of weight-loss drugs that are circulating in numerous countries.

The WHO warning said that the international health agency has fielded several reports of fake semaglutide -- the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic -- in all geographic regions of the world since 2022.

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"WHO advises healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and the public be aware of these falsified batches of medicines," Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, said in the warning. "We call on stakeholders to stop any usage of suspicious medicines and report to relevant authorities."

Meanwhile, Lilly said in an open letter that it was "deeply concerned" about phony or compounded versions of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the Lilly weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound.

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WHO, Eli Lilly warn of fake weight-loss drugs - UPI.com (2024)

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