Dozens of states asking the FDA to investigate deceptive practices
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a 37-state bipartisan coalition are requesting that the Food and Drug Administration take swift action against drug makers who are producing counterfeit forms of the weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy (GLP-1 drugs).
“We know these drugs are popular and expensive, but these copycat drugs can contain dangerous ingredients that come with serious side effects, long-term health problems and even life-threatening conditions,” said Rayfield. “Anyone selling these counterfeit drugs is not only deceiving people, but they’re putting their lives in jeopardy, and we won’t tolerate it.”
The letter states that “online retailers are illegally selling the active ingredients of GLP-1 drugs directly to consumers, without a prescription. These retailers claim that the active ingredients they sell are ‘for research purposes only’ or ‘not for human consumption’. In reality, these companies advertise directly to consumers on social media, claiming that their products are an easier and more affordable way to obtain GLP-1 drugs.
“Let’s be clear: counterfeit weight loss drugs aren’t just a scam – they’re a health hazard,” said Rayfield. “I’m not going to sit by while people get duped into buying something that could hurt them. The health of Oregonians is one of my priorities, and we will go after the sellers to make sure they’re held accountable.”
The letter declares that the Food and Drug Administration has the expertise and resources to stop the deceptive practices by counterfeit drug manufacturers and that they should increase enforcement actions against compounding pharmacies illegally participating in this market. It also encourages the FDA to partner with state pharmacy boards to ensure compounded GLP-1 drugs are produced safely and in sanitary environments.
Dozens of bipartisan states signed this letter along with Oregon, including Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.