A box of Ozempic can look convincing enough to fool someone who has no reason to suspect the medication inside isn’t legitimate. Federal prosecutors now allege that two men went much further than putting a fake drug into a fake box: the counterfeit Ozempic included imitation packaging, package inserts, pen labels and even needles designed to make the products appear authentic. The recently announced federal charges stem from an alleged scheme that operated from at least July 2023 through April 2024 and involved products obtained from unauthorized sources in China. The allegations are particularly concerning because prosecutors say the counterfeit medication was distributed to people and businesses within the U.S. drug supply chain. For patients paying hundreds of dollars for medication, the case is a reminder that a bargain isn’t a bargain if you can’t verify what’s actually inside the package.
