The State Agency of Medicines (ZVA) and the Health Inspectorate (VI) have issued a joint appeal to the residents of Latvia, urging them to exercise particular caution when purchasing medications online.
Experts remind us: medications should only be purchased through licensed online pharmacies. When it comes to medicines, vitamins, and other products advertised in social media posts and on dubious websites, there is a significant risk that in an attempt to save some money, one may end up paying much more later.
And not just in money (although that too), but most importantly - with health, either one's own or that of loved ones.
According to information from the State Agency of Medicines (ZVA) and the Health Inspectorate (VI), there has been a sharp increase in the spread of "fake" weight loss and diabetes medications in European Union countries over the past three months. In particular, GLP-1 receptor agonists (drugs used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, helping to control blood glucose levels, reduce appetite, and slow digestion, thereby promoting weight loss, with active substances semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide). Cases of these drugs being sold were identified on dubious websites or in social media across many countries, including counterfeit versions of these medications.
Advertising and offers for "slimming pills" have also been found in Latvia. As a result, 7 websites received a directive from the Inspectorate to remove and refrain from advertising these medications in the future, one person was penalized for distributing medications on social media, and access to six websites distributing such medications was completely blocked.
The State Agency of Medicines and the Health Inspectorate remind us: in Latvia, only over-the-counter medications are allowed to be distributed in online pharmacies.
Accordingly, the distribution of any prescription medications, including those intended for weight loss and diabetes treatment, is also prohibited in Latvian online pharmacies.
When purchasing medications on dubious websites or in social media, there is a sufficiently high risk of counterfeiting, meaning that the active substance in the purchased medication may not be what is indicated on the packaging or in the instructions, or its composition may not correspond to what is stated at all.
And in the best case, this will simply not have any effect on addressing the health issue, and in the worst case, it could seriously harm.
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