Medicine costing between R $ 990 and R $ 1,300 was created to treat diabetes, but has started to be used on a large scale for weight loss
armed men robbed a Drogaria São Paulo store in the south of São Paulo, on the night of Tuesday 9, with a specific objective: the medicines in the fridge. Police and officials say who the target was Ozempico, a drug that has been used for weight loss and costs between R $ 990 and R $ 1,300. Customers have also been ripped off; There were no injuries.
At least six robbers, armed with revolvers and pistols, entered the pharmacy located in Rua Maestro Cardim, handed over customers and employees and ordered everyone to stay on the ground. The shop was full. “After they all surrendered, they said ‘where is the fridge?’, says a 44-year-old customer who was in the pharmacy at the time of the robbery. “The refrigerators store heat-sensitive medicines and vaccines.
In ten minutes they emptied the refrigerator: there were about 40 boxes of medicines. The prices of the 0.25 mg + 0.50 mg and 1 mg pens range from R$ 994.03 to R$ 1,308.32, varying according to the rate of the tax on circulation of goods and services (ICMS) of every state.
The thieves also took the customers’ belongings. “With that level of weapons, I’m lucky to be alive,” says the customer. Police officers responding to the incident Tuesday night said the focus was on Ozempic. In a note, Drogaria São Paulo informs that it “continues to collaborate with the authorities in relation to the case”.
Assaults seeking this specific drug are also reported in the social media. A customer who prefers not to be identified says that he went to a pharmacy in the central region at the beginning of the month to buy the medicine. The attendant asked numerous questions, some of which were far from the realm of sales and a therapeutic approach. “He said that the pharmacy had been burglarized days earlier and that, therefore, they were doubling the sales cures,” said the customer. In this robbery, 10 units of the medicine were taken, as well as R$100 from the cashier.
This increase in robberies is already a warning to the institutions in the sector. “Sincofarma has complained, and even insisted, with the competent authorities on the increase of these cases and has asked for due attention and action,” says André Bedran Jaber, of the legal department of the Union of Pharmaceutical Retail Products in the State of São Paulo (Sincofarma).
“Although we know that other branches are also affected by the theft problem, which has absurdly worsened, we understand that more attention should be paid to cases of theft from pharmacies because it is a health concern,” says the specialist.
The medicine was developed for patients with diabetes
Manufactured by Danish Pharmaceuticals Novo Nordiskor Ozempico is a medicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that has become a sensation among those who want to lose weight. The drug began to be used against obesity in a off label, when the recommendation for use is outside the package leaflet. Currently it has become an ally for those looking for aesthetic weight loss, above all thanks to the ease of purchase without a prescription.
The active substance of the medicine is semaglutide, a synthetic form of the hormone GLP-1, which promotes satiety. The medicine ‘mimics’ a hormone linked to appetite and food, helping to stimulate insulin production and lower blood glucose levels. Basically, the patient doesn’t feel very hungry during the day and eats less than usual. It is administered via an injectable pen.
Due to the increased demand, patients with type 2 diabetes are living with a shortage of medicines in pharmacies. Furthermore, the theft of this drug worries the police and medical authorities due to the creation of an underground market.
The Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SBEM) and the Brazilian Association for the Study of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (Abeso) released a joint statement in late March saying “indiscriminate use increases the stigma of treatment among patients with medical indication pathologies, as well as exposing people without the need for use to risks”.
What the police say
The Civil Police clarifies that two complaints have been found on the facts. Two men, aged 44 and 66, were robbed while they were in a pharmacy, on Tuesday night (9), in Rua Maestro Cardim, in Bela Vista, in the center of São Paulo. The cases were registered by the Electronic Police Station and forwarded to the 5th Police District (Aclimação), responsible for the area of the facts. So far, the pharmacy hasn’t searched the police station. However, investigations are already underway to clarify the facts.
What does the pharmacist say?
Novo Nordisk clarifies that it “does not actively monitor these events, as they are the responsibility of the plants themselves”. The pharmaceutical company also states that “as a responsible supplier, Novo Nordisk has alerted the population with the aim of ensuring patient safety, with a warning on the points that must be taken into account when buying its medicines”.
Among the points: “any products that do not comply with the rules defined by Anvisa are irregular and, therefore, do not offer the guarantees of efficacy, safety and quality required for products subjected to health surveillance and may constitute a risk of damage and threat to the Health “.
The pharmaceutical also highlights the values of irregular medicine. “The prices of irregular drugs can be much lower than those approved by the government and practiced on the market (all products must follow the CMED table, the federal agency that regulates the price of drugs in the country).”
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
