SAN ANTONIO — Many of us are aware of the recent shortage of the drug Ozempic, which is used to treat diabetes and weight loss. That has now been fixed, but the shortage exacerbated another problem.
Semaglutide is a drug that targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake. It has also been used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic is the drug approved by the FDA to treat both conditions. But there are fake versions being talked about on social media.
THE QUESTION
Is it true that there are mock up medications for diabetes and weight loss like Ozempic that are not approved by the FDA and could be dangerous?
THE SOURCES
- Dr. Carolina Solis-Herrera, the Chief of the Endocrinology Division at UT Health San Antonio.
THE ANSWER
TRUE
WHAT WE FOUND
Dr. Solis Herrera says there are other versions with serious safety concerns. She told us, "There are some mock ups of the newer medications and social media like Semaglutide. They're advertising for $25. We do not endorse it. We do not recommend it. We don't know where it's coming from, but it's not from the company that develops Semaglutide, which is Novo Nordisk."
She says to never get any kind of medication off of the internet that has not been prescribed to you by your doctor. Dr. Solis-Herrera, "The FDA has approved Semaglutide with a different commercial name called Wegovy and that is approved for weight management either if you're overweight or obese."
So yes, it is true. There are mock up medications for diabetes and weight loss like Ozempic that are not approved by the FDA and could be dangerous.
Dr. Solis-Herrera also says that if you are looking for Semaglutide to lose weight and you aren't overweight or have diabetes, the best cornerstone of treatment is lifestyle intervention, which includes healthy foods combined with a reasonable amount of exercise.