UK Cracks Down on Black Market Sales of Popular Diabetes Drug Ozempic
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Police in England are raiding properties and making arrests to crack down on the illegal sale of Ozempic, a diabetes drug often used off-label for weight loss.
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With high demand and low supply, liquid containing the Ozempic ingredient semaglutide is being sold on the black market in the UK.
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Ozempic is legally only available by prescription, but regulators told the BBC a "small scale" black market is emerging, including online and in cosmetics shops.
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Common Ozempic side effects include nausea and diarrhea; serious effects like vision, kidney and pancreas problems are also possible.
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The UK government has announced funding to improve access to Wegovy, a similar new semaglutide drug, to tackle obesity and reduce NHS pressure.