(Source: Securingindustry.com)
As the use of Ozempic rises, so does the selling of counterfeit self-injector pens. These counterfeits originated from wholesalers in Austria and Germany and use the German language for their packaging and labeling.
These self-injecting pens have been found in European Union (EU) countries as well as throughout the UK. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has disclosed that these counterfeit self-injecting pens have batch numbers, 2D barcodes, and unique serial numbers from genuine Ozempic packs. In the EU, medicine packs are tracked through an EU-wide electronic system by using the unique 2D barcode and serial number present on each pack. Because of this, when the counterfeit Ozempic pens were scanned, the serial numbers were shown to be inactive, thereby alerting operators to a potential falsification. (EMA, 2023)
In 2019, the EU Medicines Verification System (EMVS) was implemented across Europe to safeguard patients from the risk of falsified medicines. This system ensures the verification of medicinal packs, checking each one at the pharmacy level. There is currently no evidence indicating that legal pharmacies have dispensed counterfeit pens to patients, nor are there any reports of patient harm resulting from these fake pens.
