Ozempic Scam: Legal Loophole Aids Criminals in Poland

A concerning loophole in Polish law is facilitating the illicit sale of Ozempic's active substance, often disguised as a product for "clinical research." This practice, already widespread in the United States and Australia, has now surfaced in Poland, preying on the drug's immense popularity for weight loss.

Online stores catering to fitness enthusiasts are selling the active ingredient of Ozempic, a medication primarily for diabetics, as a research chemical. Consumers are being lured by lower prices, sometimes nearly half that of the original drug, and the convenience of purchasing without a prescription. Deliveries are even made through parcel lockers, despite regulations requiring Ozempic to be refrigerated and prohibiting such distribution methods for medications.

This fraudulent scheme exploits the surging demand for Ozempic, compounded by shortages in some pharmacies. The Polish newspaper "Rzeczpospolita" reported that the problem is significant, with millions of packages sold annually. The deception poses a risk to anyone seeking Ozempic who might unknowingly purchase these counterfeit products and become an experimental user.

The drug's manufacturer has been informed and plans to investigate the websites and report fraudulent sellers to the relevant authorities. The Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate (GIF) acknowledges the issue but notes that identifying responsible parties is difficult, hindering administrative actions. Legal experts point out that while laws exist, their enforcement is weak. Online platforms frequently change domains, names, and registered companies, making it challenging for authorities to conduct thorough investigations and hold offenders accountable.

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The pharmaceutical inspectorate takes action, but in practice, its interest in an e-shop usually arises after a signal about such activity. An additional difficulty is that these types of platforms are very numerous and often change their domain, name, or the company they are registered to, which makes it difficult to identify the responsible entity and conduct effective investigations by the authorities.