Overview

• The Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM) confirmed counterfeit insulin pens labeled as Ozempic, which lack Semaglutid and pose severe health risks, including life-threatening hypoglycemia.
• Investigators have linked the distribution of counterfeit products to crime networks operating in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Great Britain, Austria, and other regions.
• A surge in forged paper prescriptions for GLP-1-based weight-loss drugs, driven by high demand and media promotion, has been observed over the past two years, according to the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA).
• No cases of forged electronic prescriptions have been reported, underscoring the potential of e-prescriptions to curb fraud if widely implemented.
• Pharmacies face significant financial losses as many forgeries are detected only when insurers refuse reimbursement for high-cost medications.