Ozempic maker taking legal action against counterfeit copies

NEW YORK - Novo Nordisk, the maker of the popular weight loss drug Ozempic, is fighting back against copycats of the drug popping up around the country, including in New York.

Novo Nordisk has initiated legal proceedings against a range of entities – encompassing medical spas, weight loss clinics and online pharmacies – in a concerted effort to curb the sale and promotion of counterfeit drugs that claim to replicate the effects of Ozempic.

The drugmaker is adamant the deceptive practices not only jeopardize patient well-being, but also compromise the credibility of their FDA-approved Semaglutide medicines.

"The danger is when people start to acquire these medications, either through social media or through retail pharmacies, that are not going through either their insurance or medical professional," said Dr. Rabia De Latour, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

"And those are the cases where they saw similar looking injection pens that may be falsely labeled Ozempic or Wegovy or what have you, but what they actually are in many cases is insulin and that can be life-threatening if you take a dose of insulin, and you're not diabetic."

Dr. De Latour stressed seeking guidance from a medical professional is crucial for those considering weight loss medications. 

Ozempic has some unique packaging that can also help users figure out if they have the real thing.