Tennessee – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti this week led a bipartisan coalition of 38 states and territories urging the Food and Drug Administration to take swift action against counterfeit and unsafe versions of popular weight loss and diabetes medications, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound.
The coalition raised concerns about the rising number of dangerous counterfeit drugs infiltrating the U.S. market. “Millions of Americans rely on GLP-1 drugs to improve their health, but bad actors are peddling dangerous fakes,” said Attorney General Skrmetti. “These counterfeit or copycat drugs can be contaminated through shady supply chains running from China, Turkey, and other overseas suppliers, or they can contain entirely different drugs manufactured and packaged to look like GLP-1 drugs.”
The counterfeit versions of these drugs pose significant risks not only to public health but also to national security, as some counterfeit products are believed to be coming from foreign countries such as India, Turkey, and China. The soaring demand for GLP-1 medications, combined with high prices and tight supplies, has created opportunities for bad actors to exploit vulnerable consumers.
The coalition urged the FDA to lead efforts to protect the U.S. drug supply chain and work with state and federal agencies to stop these deceptive practices. They also emphasized the importance of enforcement actions against counterfeit drug manufacturers, online retailers, and compounding pharmacies involved in the illegal market for GLP-1 drugs. Additionally, the coalition called for increased collaboration with state pharmacy boards to ensure that compounded GLP-1 drugs are produced safely in sanitary conditions.
The FDA is being urged to take a more proactive role in investigating these unlawful practices and halting the distribution of counterfeit drugs. The coalition believes that with the FDA’s expertise and resources, counterfeit drug manufacturers and illegal distributors can be identified and held accountable.