‘Beware of fake weight loss drug’
NEW DELHI : Counterfeit versions of a diabetes drug, also used to treat weight loss, are making the rounds in India, prompting drug regulators to warn doctors, chemists and patients about their purchase and consumption. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has raised an alert about falsified versions of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1-RA) products sold at physical outlets and over social media after a warning in this respect from the World Health Organization (WHO) last week. The drug regulator has advised doctors to prescribe alternatives and inform patients about any likely adverse effects of the drug.
It has also advised all state drug regulators to procure samples from the market and initiate necessary action under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. “There has been a surge of online information promoting the use of GLP-1-RA products for weight loss, encouraging risky procurement behaviour. It is possible that falsified versions are sold and distributed through unregulated outlets, including social-media platforms," DCGI Rajeev Raghuvanshi wrote in a letter reviewed by Mint.
“Educate patients for reporting any adverse drug reaction with the usage of procured medical products. Patients need to be careful and only procure the necessary medical products from authorized sources with proper purchase bills," he said. In its threat assessment for India last week, WHO said there has been a recent surge in demand for and reported shortage of GLP-1-RA products.
It said demand for these products has risen worldwide since late 2022, with reported shortages adversely impacting people with Type-2 diabetes. The drug is sold and marketed globally under various brand names. Queries sent to a health
. Read more on livemint.com
