Antidiabetic drugs purchased online and taken with the aim of losing weight could pose serious health risks, researchers at Pécs University (PTE) said on Friday.
Experts warn against using diabetes product for weight loss
In its statement, the university said there was an increased demand for Ozempic injections in Hungary, while the drug “often cannot reach diabetic patients who would need it the most.”
People are increasingly using Ozempic, a diabetes product, for weight loss. Photo: depositphotos.com
Obtaining the drug from the black market poses “huge health risks”, they added. In their research, the experts made trial purchases on popular websites and found that nearly every other semiglutide product on offer was available from illegal pharmacies and could impact the users’ health through contamination or an overdose.
Quoting from a study published in the US periodical JAMA Network Open, the purity of online products was far below expected levels, while they could contain up to 40 percent more active ingredient than recommended, posing …