The Health Authority warns South Africans about illegal GLP-1 weight-loss products

Desperate consumers are increasingly turning to social media "miracle injections" as the demand for quick weight-loss solutions rises, but many of these products may contain hazardous and undisclosed ingredients. 

Now, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is sounding the alarm, warning the public against purchasing GLP-1 weight-loss products illegally marketed online.

SAHPRA said it has identified companies and individuals promoting GLP-1 products on social media while falsely claiming they are authorised by the regulator or partnered with major South African retail pharmacy chains. The Authority emphasised that these claims are entirely false.

Following an investigation, SAHPRA found that the sellers are not based in South Africa, despite advertisements claiming the products are shipped from Johannesburg or Cape Town.

“SAHPRA investigated and discovered that the sellers of these products are not based in South Africa. The products are being shipped from China via post offices, not from a warehouse in Johannesburg or Cape Town, as stated in the advertisements,” the regulator said.

SAHPRA further revealed that the products delivered to buyers are not identical to those advertised online, raising serious safety concerns. The Authority stressed that it has not approved any oral GLP-1 solution for consumption.

This warning follows previous alerts regarding the rise of counterfeit Ozempic, a Schedule 4 medicine globally used for diabetes and increasingly misused for weight loss. As demand for Ozempic spikes, fuelled by celebrity endorsements from figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Sharon Osbourne and Elon Musk, SAHPRA has recorded an increase in suspected fake products sold online.

The regulator urged consumers to avoid purchasing medicines from unknown websites or social-media pages, warning that these products may contain harmful ingredients that sellers do not disclose.

“Patients should only buy prescribed medicines from licensed and reputable pharmacies. A list of medicines registered in South Africa can be found on the SAHPRA website,” the Authority said.

SAHPRA also reminded the public that the unauthorised sale, distribution or advertising of unregistered medicines is a violation of the Medicines and Related Substances Act. The regulator said it would take the necessary regulatory and legal action against individuals and companies involved in such practices.

Members of the public are urged to report suspicious medicine sales or false claims of SAHPRA approval through the Authority’s 24-hour hotline (0800 204 307) or its online reporting platform.

SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said protecting citizens from unsafe and falsified medicines remains a core mandate of the regulator.

“Safeguarding the well-being of the South African public remains a primary concern for the regulatory authority. SAHPRA is monitoring the supply chain as well as the online platforms for unregistered, substandard, and falsified medicines containing or claiming to contain GLP-1 nm jhbSubstance,” she said.

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za