More than 40 percent of the online pharmacies that claim to sell weight loss drugs such as Ozempic are illegal operations, with some defrauding customers by failing to deliver the promised products, according to a peer-reviewed study. During their analysis, researchers identified 317 online pharmacies through search engine monitoring. More than 42 percent (134 websites) were deemed to be illegal operations.
Two of the websites analyzed had received warning letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for “unlawful sale of unapproved and misbranded semaglutide.
” The researchers bought semaglutide products from six vendors that were classified as “not recommended” or “rogue” by authorities. Out of the six vendors, three of them fulfilled the orders. The remaining three “engaged in nondelivery scams requesting extra payments [ranging from $650 to $1200] to purportedly clear customs, confirmed as fraudulent by customs agencies,” the study noted.
Researchers checked the three semaglutide test products against the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s checklist to assess their quality and purity. Out of the potential full 22 points, the three items only scored 8 or 9. These products had “clear discrepancies in regulatory registration information, accurate labeling, and evidence products were likely unregistered or unlicensed.
” One sample was found to contain an “elevated presence” of endotoxins, a bacterial component, suggesting potential c.