As demand for weight loss medications like Ozempic skyrockets globally, health officials are sounding the alarm: a surge of counterfeit jabs—often sold through unregulated online vendors and even beauty salons—are endangering lives. These fake injections are deceptively difficult to identify and, in many cases, could trigger life-threatening complications, including hypoglycemic shock, seizures, and even coma.

While these medications have revolutionized weight loss management for individuals with obesity and Type 2 diabetes, the black-market boom has opened the floodgates to dangerous look-alikes. Here’s everything you need to know about identifying fake Ozempic jabs, understanding their health risks, and ensuring you're accessing safe, approved treatment.

Ozempic (semaglutide) and its counterparts, Wegovy and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), are GLP-1 receptor agonists originally designed to help manage blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes patients. Their weight loss effects, however, made them blockbuster drugs—with users shedding up to 33 lbs in clinical trials.

Unsurprisingly, this popularity has given rise to a dangerous market of counterfeit versions. Criminal networks are capitalizing on demand by relabeling insulin pens, creating fake formulations in unsterile environments, and peddling them on platforms where regulation is minimal or absent.

Andy Morling of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reports that fake jabs have been flooding the market since early 2023. Over 600 counterfeit Ozempic pens have been seized in the UK alone. “There’s no way of knowing what’s really inside them,” warns Morling. “They could be made with arsenic, cement, or even rat poison.”

How Dangerous Are Fake Ozempic Pens?

The short answer: extremely. The risks go far beyond inefficacy.

Some fake jabs contain:

Insulin – Can dangerously drop blood sugar, leading to seizures or coma.

Toxic substances – Seized products have been found to contain mercury, cement, and rat poison.

Bacteria – Due to non-sterile production environments, leading to infections.

Wrong or mixed medications – Including none of the intended drug at all.

Dr. Nick Kaye of the UK’s National Pharmacy Association has voiced concern about a potential explosion in black-market sales. “The supply of Ozempic is already tight. That, coupled with high demand, creates a perfect storm for counterfeiters.”

Telltale Signs Your Ozempic Is Fake

Identifying a counterfeit jab can be difficult without lab testing, but drug experts have noted some red flags:

Suspicious labeling: A genuine Ozempic pen comes with pre-printed, high-quality labeling—not stuck-on, crooked, or low-resolution stickers.

Dark or discolored pens: Most genuine pens are light in appearance and consistent in color.

Damaged packaging: Misspelled text, missing serial numbers, or unclear batch codes are warning signs.

Non-pen formats: Real Ozempic comes in pre-filled injector pens. If your product arrives in a syringe or vial from an online order, it’s almost certainly fake.

Sold on social media: Legitimate medications are never sold on Instagram, TikTok, or salon backrooms.

Still unsure? Check the batch number and barcode with the manufacturer or pharmacy.

Online vendors and salons may promise affordability and availability—but that’s where safety ends.

Unlike licensed pharmacies, these sources do not:

• Verify your BMI or medical history
• Provide guidance on correct dosage and administration
• Offer patient counseling or disclose side effects
• Follow FDA or international regulatory standards

Regulated services screen for medical appropriateness and ensure that the drugs have passed stringent safety tests. Using counterfeit jabs skips all of these safeguards.

If You Do not Qualify for the Treatment, How Can You Lose Weight?

If you don’t qualify for Ozempic or similar weight loss medications, it’s essential to explore safe alternatives rather than seeking out illicit versions. Healthy lifestyle changes remain foundational to weight management:

• Eat whole foods and reduce processed sugar
• Incorporate daily physical activity—150 minutes per week
• Avoid crash diets or over-the-counter supplements with unverified claims
• Speak with a doctor or dietitian for personalized support

For those with disordered eating patterns, reaching out to mental health professionals or organizations like Beat Eating Disorders can offer a healthier path.

When the Price Seems Too Good to Be True

It probably is. A major lure of counterfeit Ozempic is the price tag—black-market versions are often heavily discounted. But remember: this comes at the cost of your health, safety, and potentially, your life.

If you’re unsure about a product, consult your pharmacist or primary care provider. Always ensure that any medication you take has been prescribed by a qualified healthcare provider and obtained from a licensed source.

As the obesity epidemic collides with a global supply crunch, counterfeiters are betting on your desperation. Don’t fall for it. The allure of a quick fix should never outweigh the risks to your health.

Choose regulated, prescription-only weight loss treatments. Trust your pharmacist. Ask questions. And if something feels off, it probably is. Fake Ozempic isn’t just ineffective—it’s potentially lethal.

Observed every year on 17th of April, World Hemophilia Day plays a very important role in increasing awareness about hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. Hemophilia is defined as a sudden and excessive bleeding after an injury by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. As many as 33,000 males suffer with this disease in the United States. For women, the symptoms may be mild but, it can still lead to reduced joint range of motion.

World Hemophilia Day 2025 History

The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) started World Hemophilia Day in 1989. They picked April 17th to honor Frank Schnabel, the founder of WFH, on his birthday, as a way to bring the community together. Haemophiliia Foundation Australia stated that WFH has a dream called "Treatment for All." They want a world where everyone with inherited bleeding disorders can get medical care, no matter what kind of bleeding problem they have, if they are a man or woman, how old they are, or where they live. This April, let's celebrate our community and keep working towards a world where everyone, whether they have hemophilia A or B, von Willebrand disease (VWD), or any other bleeding disorder, can get diagnosed, treated, and receive complete care

World Hemophilia Day 2025 Theme

Choosing "Access for All: Women and Girls Bleed Too" as the theme is a big step. It helps us look at the special needs of women and girls with these conditions. Often, their problems are not seen as much as men's. This day wants to make sure their struggles are noticed and that they get better care. Historically, the experiences and challenges faced by this population have been less visible within the broader bleeding disorders community.

This aims to bring their unique struggles to the forefront. The National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF), has expressed their enthusiasm about the theme, and how meaningful it is. They commended the advocacy of the International Women & Girls with Bleeding Disorders Committee.

The central theme for World Hemophilia Day 2025, "Access for All: Women and Girls Bleed Too," directly addresses the systemic inequities faced by Women & Girls with Bleeding Disorders (WGBDs). This theme underscores the critical need to:

Combat Underdiagnosis

Many women and girls experience significant delays or fail to receive a proper diagnosis due to prevailing misconceptions about who is affected by bleeding disorders.

Improve Treatment Access

Even when diagnosed, WGBDs often do not receive the same level of care and treatment as their male counterparts.

Raise Awareness

There is a significant lack of understanding among the general public and even healthcare professionals regarding how bleeding disorders manifest in women and girls.

Enhance Quality of Life

The consequences of undiagnosed or poorly managed bleeding disorders can severely impact the educational, professional, and personal lives of women and girls.

World Hemophilia Day 2025 Importance

World Hemophilia Day 2025, under the banner of "Access for All: Women and Girls Bleed Too," is of paramount importance for several reasons:

Increased Visibility

It provides a global platform to raise awareness about the specific challenges faced by women and girls with bleeding disorders.

Advocacy for Change

The day serves as a catalyst for advocating for improved diagnostic pathways, treatment protocols, and overall care for WGBDs.

Community Unification

It unites the global bleeding disorders community in a shared commitment to ensuring equitable access to care for all individuals, regardless of gender.

Call to Action

It encourages individuals, healthcare providers, and policymakers to take concrete steps towards addressing the unmet needs of women and girls with bleeding disorders.

Nobody likes getting cuts, but it is inevitable of course. However, what makes it worse is when from even a minor cut, your blood won't stop. This may be because you have hemophilia. It is a rare genetic disorder, but it could happen when your blood does not clot and make your bleeding slow down or stop.

As per Dr Satyaranjan Das, who is the Director of Haemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Max Super Specialty Hospital, Noida, there are five types of hemophilia. It is an illness where the blood does not clot as it should. Normally, there are specific proteins called clotting factors that stop the bleeding in hemophilia, one of these factors is either missing or does not work correctly under this condition, explains Das.

The Types of Hemophilia:

• Hemophilia A is the most common. It happens when the body doesn't have enough Factor VIII.
• Hemophilia B (otherwise known as Christmas disease) occurs due to decreased levels of Factor IX.
• Hemophilia C is rare and generally less severe. It is due to deficiency in Factor XI.

"Gene for Hemophilia A and B are inherited via the X-chromosome, and hence they mainly affect boys. Girls can carry the gene and occasionally develop symptoms. Hemophilia C is different—it affects men and women and is more common in some Jewish families," explains the doctor.

What Are The Other Kinds Of Hemophilia or bleeding disorder?

The doctor notes that there are a few other rare conditions of other factors involved in clotting (e.g., Factor II, V, VII, X, XII, and XIII). These are some of the non-hemophiliac causes of unusual bleeding.

Acquired Hemophilia is also where the immune system of the body attacks its own Factor VIII. It is not hereditary and usually occurs in adulthood, mainly in elderly or during post pregnancy. "Symptoms may include bruising and bleeding that occurs too easily. Some people experience painful bleeds in joints, which, if not treated, can damage joints," explains the doctor.

What People Must Know About Hemophilia?

Dr Das explains that while it is not a very prevalent disorder, hemophilia is filled with myths and he are the two common myths around the condition that the doctor breaks.

Myth: Hemophilia is just a bleeding disorder

Hemophilia is erroneously considered to be just a bleeding disorder, but it's a complex disorder that affects many aspects of a person's life. Hemophilia patients may experience chronic pain, limited mobility and mental anguish due to recurrent bleeding episodes.

Myth: Hemophilia Is Contagious

Hemophilia has been misperceived by some as an infectious disease, but it is actually inherited. Hemophilia patients are not contagious and must not be treated as pariahs, but equally with respect and dignity like any human being.

How Can It Be Diagnosed? How Can It Be Treated?

Doctor explains that a blood test can show what clotting factor is lacking. Treatment may include providing the missing factor through infusions. With proper treatment, most people with hemophilia can lead a normal, active life.

Treatment of hemophilia for health is much improved now. New treatment is easier and safer. Gene therapy even has the potential to prevent or reduce the necessity for ongoing treatment in some people. Hemophilia children today have improved prospects of becoming healthy and independent adults because there is more awareness and availability of health care.

For years, egg freezing has dominated the conversation around fertility preservation. However, a growing number of reproductive specialists now believe that ovarian tissue freezing—an outpatient surgical procedure that involves removing and preserving a portion of a woman’s ovarian tissue—could be a superior alternative, particularly for younger women or those undergoing medical treatments like chemotherapy.

Unlike egg freezing, which requires hormonal stimulation over several weeks, ovarian tissue freezing can be completed quickly, even in children who haven’t yet reached puberty. And new data is backing up its promise: a recent review revealed that approximately 4 out of 10 women who underwent this procedure successfully gave birth later in life.

What Is Ovarian Tissue Freezing?

Ovarian tissue freezing, also known as ovarian tissue cryopreservation, involves surgically removing a portion of one ovary—typically through a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure—and preserving its outer shell, where thousands of immature eggs reside. This tissue is sliced into thin slivers and stored in a programmable freezer using a Slow Freezing technique that can take up to six meticulous hours in the lab.

Once the woman is ready to conceive, the tissue can be thawed and transplanted back into her body—either in the pelvis or under the skin. If successful, this transplant can restore hormonal function, trigger menstruation, and even reverse menopausal symptoms in many women.

Egg Freezing vs. Ovarian Tissue Freezing: What’s the Difference?

The numbers are compelling. A study conducted by Dr. Kutluk Oktay—who first performed the procedure in 1999—and Dr. Fernanda Pacheco reviewed data from 1999 to 2016. They found that out of 309 ovarian tissue freezing cases, 84 births were recorded, and two-thirds of patients experienced a restoration of reproductive or hormonal function.

One particularly noteworthy aspect: only about one-third of patients required IVF, while the rest were able to conceive naturally—something not possible with frozen eggs. The tissue appears to create a more natural ovarian environment, increasing the chance of spontaneous conception.

Initially developed as a fertility-preserving option for cancer patients, especially children who cannot undergo egg retrieval, ovarian tissue freezing is increasingly being considered for healthy women wanting to delay childbirth. According to Dr. Oktay, the procedure’s ability to reverse menopause, preserve hormonal function, and restore natural fertility makes it a holistic approach to reproductive longevity.

In fact, many women undergo ovarian tissue freezing when there’s insufficient time for ovarian stimulation or when the ovaries are at risk of being damaged by cancer treatment. Unlike egg retrieval, which can delay urgent therapies, this method provides a faster and potentially more versatile solution.

Egg freezing typically yields about 10 to 15 eggs per cycle. In contrast, a single procedure of ovarian tissue extraction can preserve hundreds or even thousands of eggs in their immature form, providing a much larger reservoir of fertility potential. This makes the procedure more cost-effective in the long run and potentially reduces the number of interventions a woman might need.

Moreover, with ovarian tissue, there’s no need for the hormonal stimulation that egg freezing requires—saving both time and the physical side effects that some women experience.

How Does the Transplant Work?

Once a woman is ready to conceive, the frozen tissue can be thawed and transplanted using two primary techniques developed by Dr. Oktay:

Pelvic Transplantation: Here, tissue is grafted near the remaining ovary or on the pelvic wall using a biodegradable scaffold. It reconnects with the surrounding blood vessels over 2–10 days, though some egg loss (over 50%) can occur during this period.

Heterotopic (Under-the-Skin) Transplantation: This is used when the pelvis isn’t viable due to radiation or scarring. It’s performed under local anesthesia in the IVF lab—making it less invasive—but it does require IVF for conception.

So far, about 20 live births have been recorded from pelvic ovarian transplants. Under-the-skin grafts are still in their experimental phase, though promising embryo development has been reported.

Is Ovarian Tissue Freezing Affordable?

Fertility preservation isn’t cheap. However, ovarian tissue freezing may offer more value for money. Ovarian tissue freezing costs approximately $10,000, while egg freezing can run upwards of $20,000 or more depending on the number of cycles needed.

Given that a single ovarian tissue extraction can preserve significantly more eggs than traditional retrieval, this newer method may also reduce the long-term financial burden for women who may need multiple rounds of egg retrieval.

Can You Conceive Naturally After a Transplant?

Yes, but with caution. After pelvic transplantation, women can conceive naturally if their fallopian tubes are intact and functional. However, since transplanted ovaries may not last as long as natural ones, doctors often recommend IVF to speed up conception and avoid exhausting the finite egg supply in the graft.

While ovarian tissue freezing is still technically considered experimental, the clinical data and real-world success stories are making it a strong contender in fertility preservation. Its ability to not only safeguard fertility but also reverse menopause, restore hormonal balance, and offer natural pregnancy potential makes it far more than just an alternative to egg freezing, it could be the future of reproductive medicine.