Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is leading a coalition of 37 states and territories in urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action against the production and distribution of counterfeit weight loss and diabetes drugs. The drugs in question include Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy, which are categorized as GLP-1 drugs.

Attorney General Wilson highlighted the issue by stating, “The popularity of these drugs is growing at a rate that exceeds production by licensed manufacturers and has opened the door for copycat products from countries like China and India to flow through the U.S. supply chain that are seriously harming consumers.”

The coalition's letter points out that “online retailers are illegally selling the active ingredients of GLP-1 drugs directly to consumers, without a prescription.” These products are often marketed as "for research purposes only" or "not for human consumption," but they are being promoted on social media as affordable alternatives to prescription medications. The letter warns that these substances come from unregulated sources, posing contamination risks.

Wilson also issued a consumer alert advising caution when purchasing compounded versions of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide in unapproved forms such as pills, sublingual drops, lozenges, topical patches, or nasal sprays.

“Protecting consumers is of utmost priority to me and the lengths that these counterfeiters are going to take advantage of consumers and endanger their health must be stopped,” said Attorney General Wilson.

The letter calls on the FDA to leverage its expertise and resources to curb deceptive practices by counterfeit drug manufacturers. It suggests increased enforcement actions against compounding pharmacies involved in illegal activities. Additionally, it recommends collaboration with state pharmacy boards to ensure safe production conditions for compounded GLP-1 drugs.

This initiative was co-led by South Carolina along with Colorado, Illinois, and Tennessee. Other participating states include Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Utah; Vermont; Virgin Islands; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin.