More and more people are dependent on medicines that combat obesity and contribute to weight loss. As a result, counterfeiters increasingly target these medicines. A recently published analysis by the Irish Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) shows the extent of the spread of counterfeit substances. According to the report, the authorities confiscated around 700,000 illegal drugs in the first half of 2024 alone. Counterfeits of the diabetes drug Ozempic and Wegovy – a drug used by people with obesity – are particularly widespread. Both medicines contain the active ingredient semaglutide. According to the HPRA, 783 units of both drugs were confiscated in the first six months of the current year. By comparison, the authorities had seized 286 units over the entire year 2023.

Counterfeit medicines often use unregulated ingredients, leading to significant risks to consumer health. For example, some counterfeit products have no or only a weak effect, while others trigger allergic reactions or produce an entirely undesirable effect. Manufacturers must implement reliable mechanisms to safeguard their products in order to protect people from harm and prevent loss of sales and damage to their image.

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