NE Washington News

In a recent communication to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., a bipartisan group of leaders from the House Energy and Commerce Committee has expressed concerns over counterfeit Ozempic and other semaglutide products infiltrating the U.S. medical supply chain. The letter seeks a briefing on this pressing issue.

The correspondence was signed by Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Ranking Member Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA), and Ranking Member Kathy Castor (D-FL).

The letter states: “In addition to concerns about integrity gaps in the legitimate supply chain, we are also concerned about counterfeit Ozempic entering through illegal channels. For example, in June of this year, Eli Lilly issued an open letter expressing concern that counterfeit versions of its own drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound, were being sold online, through social media and at medical spas. On May 1, 2024, a Department of Justice press release reported that work by FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations resulted in the arrest of an individual for selling misbranded and adulterated weight loss drugs on TikTok. The Committee fully supports these continued investigations of unlawful sales.”

Previously, on December 21, 2023, the FDA had alerted the public about counterfeit Ozempic injection products found within the legitimate drug supply chain. An investigative report later revealed that thousands of these counterfeit pens had been discovered in a warehouse in Elmira, New York as early as fall 2023.

This situation highlights potential vulnerabilities within the nation's supply chain security infrastructure.