If you have watched or read the news within the past few months, chances are you’ve heard about semaglutide, commonly known by brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Semaglutide is a medicine that was approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In 2021, the FDA approved it as a treatment for weight loss. It’s a common topic in the news and on social media, promoted for its benefits and its use becoming increasingly popular. Let’s learn more about semaglutide.
About Semaglutide
Semaglutide is the ingredient in the brand name prescriptions Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Semaglutide is in a class of medicine called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These medicines help manage blood sugar and change some bodily functions such as delaying gastric (stomach) emptying, increasing insulin release from the pancreas, preventing glucose (sugar) from going into the bloodstream, and reducing appetite. Ozempic and Wegovy are once weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injections, while Rybelsus is a tablet taken every day. They each come in multiple dose strengths.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible when taking the medicine. Common side effects for this medicine include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Burping
Compounded Products
Due to the medicine’s popularity and increased use, there has been a shortage of semaglutide products. This has caused drug makers to create compounded versions of the drug. However, compounded semaglutide medicines are not FDA-approved. Purchasing these medicines online puts people at risk due to the medicine not being regulated and/or being sold from a source that is not licensed. These compounded products typically include salt forms (semaglutide sodium, semaglutide acetate) and products that are labeled for “research use only.” These have not been evaluated for safety and effectiveness by the FDA and are not considered equal to the semaglutide base that is FDA approved and prescribed by a health care provider.
If purchasing semaglutide online, it is best practice to only purchase from a source that requires a visit with a health care provider first and one that requires a prescription for the patient to obtain the medicine. It is also important to find a source that is transparent in which pharmacy or facility they use to obtain the medicine that would be dispensed to the patient.
Counterfeit Products
The FDA has continued to research counterfeit (fake) Ozempic injection pens. These pre-filled pens look very similar to the real prescribed products. Visit the statement from Novo Nordisk for picture comparisons of real and counterfeit Ozempic pens.
About Tirzepatide
A similar medicine called tirzepatide is the ingredient in the name brand prescriptions Mounjaro and Zepbound. Tirzepatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist and a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor. Mounjaro was approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes treatment in 2022. Zepbound was approved for weight management in 2023. Both Mounjaro and Zepbound are given weekly via a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection.
Safe Use of GLP-1 Medicines
Only use semaglutide or trizepatide products that are prescribed to you by a trusted health care provider. GLP-1 medicines that are meant to be injected come in the form of single-dose pens or in a vial that you would use a needle to extract the amount you are going to inject. Specific instructions for single-dose pens are given with the prescription and can also be found on the product’s website where there are pictures, written instructions, and videos.
Information on how to draw medicine from a vial and inject it into the skin should also be available when you receive your medicine. It is extremely important to understand the amount of medicine you should be drawing and injecting. If you are unsure of how much to use, contact your pharmacist or health care provider. You should only use a clean unused needle with the correct measurements on it for what you are prescribed to use. Before using the product, be sure to read the label and follow the directions closely.
Symptoms of overdose include:
- Severe nausea
- Constant vomiting
- Low blood sugar when combined with other antidiabetic medicines
There has recently been an influx of counterfeit (fake) products being made available. Products should only be obtained with a prescription from a licensed health care provider and from a state-licensed pharmacy or outsourcing facility that is registered with the FDA. An outsourcing facility is an FDA regulated large compounding pharmacy that can compound medicine in bulk that is approved by the FDA’s list and distribute it to health care providers or to the patients. The Maryland Board of Pharmacy offers a lookup/verification system where you can search for a Maryland pharmacy facility. Other states may offer a similar search function through their boards of pharmacy. The FDA also provides a list of registered outsourcing facilities.
Call the Maryland Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 if you or someone you know has taken the wrong amount of a GLP-1 medicine or the wrong person took the medicine. Poison Specialists who are trained pharmacists and nurses are available 24/7. Calling is free and confidential!
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