Belgium seizes fake weight-loss drugs containing insulin

Belgium’s drug regulator has seized counterfeit versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s popular obesity drug Wegovy. The seized products contained insulin instead of the intended active ingredient, posing serious health risks. Counterfeit GLP-1 medicines, the drug class that includes Wegovy and Novo’s diabetes drug Ozempic, have been detained in nine packages this year, with two found to contain counterfeit drugs. Several individuals in Austria were hospitalized after using suspected fake versions of Ozempic. The surge in demand for weight-loss drugs has led to shortages and a proliferation of counterfeit products. Health regulators are taking measures to address the issue.