Ozempic and its analogues under fire as dozens die amid growing concerns over weight-loss and diabetes drugs.
At least 82 Britons have died after taking Ozempic and its analogues, The Times reports, citing the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
According to the agency, 22 people died after using the drug for weight loss, while 60 deaths were linked to its use for treating type 2 diabetes.
Eighteen deaths were explicitly associated with the drug Mounjaro, while 29 occurred after taking Ozempic, Rybelsus, or Wegovy — all of which contain the active ingredient semaglutide. Another 35 fatal cases were linked to the drugs Saxenda and Victoza, which contain liraglutide.
In December, a strict warning was issued to Britons attempting to purchase weight-loss drugs. At the time, officials spoke of the “immense” dangers of the black market for such medications.
Andy Morling, Deputy Head of MHRA’s Enforcement Division, stated that people had “suffered greatly” as a result of consuming counterfeit products bought on the black market and admitted that the issue “keeps [him] up at night.”
“This is likely something they’ve mixed up in their bedroom, combining various powders bought online and filling completely non-sterile syringes with them,” he said
“My advice: do not buy weight-loss drugs on social media, websites, or in beauty salons without a prescription,”
Earlier, the UK’s National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned of a potential “explosion of unlicensed drug sales online” due to a shortage of Ozempic.
This article originally published by Fariza Narbekova on the Marie Claire Kazakhstan
Translated and adapted by Denise Eseimokumoh for Marie Claire Nigeria.
