No reports of counterfeit Ozempic in Canada amid WHO warning
Global News
Health Canada says it has not received any reports of counterfeit Ozempic in the country after the WHO issued a warning about fake batches in some countries.
Health Canada says it has not received any reports of counterfeit Ozempic in the country after the World Health Organization issued a warning about fake batches of the popular diabetes drug detected in some countries.
The WHO warning on Thursday was about three falsified lots of Ozempic that were detected in the United States in December 2023, and the United Kingdom and Brazil in October 2023.
These fake injections, which were found in the regulated supply chain, misrepresent their identity and source as they were not manufactured by Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk, the global health body said.
Using counterfeit Ozempic may result in “ineffective treatment” and may also pose other serious health risks that could be “life-threatening,” the WHO said.
Tammy Jarbeau, a Health Canada spokesperson, told Global News in an emailed statement on Thursday that the agency was aware of cases of counterfeit Ozempic pens in other countries.
“Health Canada works in partnership with the Canada Border Services Agency to detect and stop unauthorized health products from entering the country,” Jarbeau said.
“To date, the department has not received any reports or complaints of counterfeit Ozempic in Canada.”
In recent years, Canada, like other countries, has seen high demand for medications like Ozempic, which is primarily approved for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes but has been used off-label for weight loss.
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