Fox Information medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel discusses Eli Lilly’s response to the prescription drug craze on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Online scams for coveted weight loss-related medication are spiking in 2024 with almost 500 malicious web sites and 200,000 harmful phishing makes an attempt recognized, in response to current information from McAfee.
In the course of the first 4 months of the yr, from January by April, malicious phishing makes an attempt centered round medication like Wegovy and Ozempic elevated 183% in contrast with the prior three months.
Roughly 449 malicious web sites and 176,871 harmful electronic mail phishing makes an attempt have been recognized throughout that point, McAfee reported.
This comes because the demand for GLP-1 medication continues to rise as individuals tout the medication’ weight-loss results.
WEGOVY, THE WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATION, GETS FDA APPROVAL FOR USE AS HEART DISEASE PREVENTION DRUG
GLP-1 agonists are a category of Type 2 diabetes drugs that improves blood sugar management however might also result in weight reduction. Semaglutide, which is the lively ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, in addition to tirzepatide, which is the lively ingredient in Eli Lily’s Mounjaro and Zepbound, are thought-about GLP-1 medication.
A picture of Wegovy, an injectable prescription weight reduction medication that has helped individuals with weight problems. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Common Photos Group by way of Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
Final month, Novo informed FOX Enterprise {that a} minimal of 25,000 Individuals have been beginning treatment with Wegovy every week.
That is “4 occasions” the variety of U.S. sufferers beginning the remedy in contrast with December 2023, the Danish pharmaceutical large, which has been ramping up manufacturing capability to satisfy demand, stated.
HIMS & HERS ROLLS OUT WEIGHT-LOSS SHOTS MUCH CHEAPER THAN OZEMPIC, WEGOVY
Industrywide, McAfee famous that over one million GLP-1 prescriptions are stuffed every week, with a beginning value of $1,000 monthly.
These trying to get the remedy are desperate to get their palms on discounted and available medication, “making them extra more likely to fall for on-line scams, which have turn into more and more prolific,” McAfee stated in its report, revealed Wednesday.
This {photograph} taken on Feb. 23, 2023, exhibits the anti-diabetic remedy Ozempic made by Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk. (Picture by JOEL SAGET/AFP by way of Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
The difficulty is scammers try to focus on individuals on social media by creating pretend profiles to put up affords on platforms equivalent to Fb Market. On Craigslist, McAfee recognized 207 rip-off postings for Ozempic inside a 24-hour interval.
FOX Enterprise reached out to Meta and Craigslist for remark.
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Researchers found that scammers have been even attempting to impersonate medical professionals. In a single occasion, a scammer created a Fb profile beneath the title “Physician Melissa.” They stated they have been based mostly in Canada and will present Mounjaro and Ozempic and not using a prescription, with cost accessible by bitcoin, Zelle, Venmo and Money App. These are usually not commonplace cost strategies for pharmaceuticals “and must be pink flags for shoppers,” McAfee stated.
| Ticker | Safety | Final | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLY | ELI LILLY & CO. | 863.00 | -3.03 | -0.35% |
| NVO | NOVO NORDISK A/S | 143.32 | +1.52 | +1.07% |
The web sites, profiles and campaigns lean on artificial intelligence tools to reinforce their credibility. When shoppers click on on these malicious hyperlinks, they danger exposing their private info, shedding cash and placing their well being in danger.
