Miss. AG Joins Bipartisan Push for FDA Crackdown on Counterfeit Weight Loss, Diabetes Drugs

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch joined a bipartisan 37-state coalition requesting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) take swift action against bad actors who are endangering consumers with counterfeit forms of the weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy (GLP-1 drugs).

“As the popularity of weight loss and diabetes medication soars, so does the rise of their counterfeits. It is critical that Mississippians remain vigilant and ensure that they are purchasing safe, regulated products,” said Attorney General Fitch. “I am proud to stand with my colleagues as we fight against those who are taking advantage of consumers and endangering their health.”

The letter states that “online retailers are illegally selling the active ingredients of GLP-1 drugs directly to consumers, without a prescription. These retailers claim that the active ingredients they sell are ’for research purposes only’ or ’not for human consumption’. In reality, these companies advertise directly to consumers on social media, claiming that their products are an easier and more affordable way to obtain GLP-1 drugs. Much like with counterfeit versions, these active ingredients come from unregulated, undisclosed sources like China and India and pose risks of contamination and inclusion of foreign substances.”

The letter asks the FDA to use its expertise and resources to stop the bad conduct and deceptive practices by counterfeit drug manufacturers and urges the FDA to increase enforcement actions against compounding pharmacies illegally participating in this market. It also encourages the FDA to partner with state pharmacy boards to ensure compounded GLP-1 drugs are produced safely and in sanitary environments. 

The Attorney General’s Office and the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy are working together to protect Mississippians from counterfeit GLP-1 drugs. They urge Mississippians to work with their licensed prescriber and pharmacist when taking these prescription medications and to purchase them only from a licensed and regulated source.

AG Fitch signed this letter, joined by her colleagues from South Carolina, Colorado, Illinois, Tennessee, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

You can read the full letter here.

You can verify a prescriber’s license or file a complaint through the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy here.