Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 38 states and territories urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action against counterfeit producers of weight loss and diabetes drugs, including Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy. These medications are known as GLP-1 drugs.

Nessel highlighted the growing issue of scammers exploiting the demand for these medications. "As weight loss and diabetes medications grow in popularity, scammers are taking advantage of the demand," she stated. She advised consumers to ensure their prescriptions are filled at licensed pharmacies to avoid counterfeit products. "I urge the FDA to take action against counterfeiters to protect Michigan consumers."

The coalition's letter notes that some online retailers sell active ingredients of GLP-1 drugs without prescriptions, falsely labeling them as "for research purposes only" or "not for human consumption." These products are often advertised on social media as affordable alternatives but may come from unregulated sources with potential contamination risks.

The letter calls on the FDA to use its resources to combat deceptive practices by counterfeit drug manufacturers. It suggests increasing enforcement actions against compounding pharmacies involved in this illegal market and partnering with state pharmacy boards to ensure safe production conditions for compounded GLP-1 drugs.

This bipartisan initiative is co-led by South Carolina, Colorado, Illinois, and Tennessee, with participation from states including Alaska, California, New York, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin among others.

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