CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti says he’s leading a bipartisan coalition urging the Food and Drug Administration to take action against those distributing counterfeit and unsafe versions of weight loss and diabetes drugs.
The drugs are classified as as GLP-1 drugs.
Dr. Jamie Ponce, a bariatric surgeon at the Weight Loss Center of Chattanooga, warned that these counterfeit drugs, often sourced from countries like China and Turkey, are cheaper but pose significant health risks.
“These counterfeit drugs are often made of compounded substances and not properly stored while in transit,” Ponce said. “They can lead to severe side effects such as kidney failure, pancreatitis, and bacterial infections.”
Ponce advised consumers to ensure their weight loss drugs are FDA approved to verify their authenticity…