Swedish Pharmacies Warn of Rising Misuse and Counterfeit Risks in Weight Loss Medications

The surge in sales of weight loss medications in Sweden has raised concerns among pharmacy staff about patients tampering with dosages and purchasing counterfeit drugs online. According to recent reports, the demand for GLP-1 analogs like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro has exploded, with combined sales reaching 230 million kronor in a single month by the end of 2025. However, as these medications are not subsidized for weight loss alone, patients without type 2 diabetes face out-of-pocket costs up to 4,000 kronor per month, leading some to alter dosages to save money. Pharmacy manager Roro Wirlander Beydoun stressed the risks, noting that changing doses without medical advice can negatively affect treatment outcomes or increase side effects.

Additionally, there are troubling trends of individuals attempting to modify injection pens based on unverified online tips, practices that medical professionals strongly discourage. Professor Ylva Trolle Lagerros of the Karolinska Institute warned against injecting unknown substances, highlighting dangers associated with counterfeit weight loss medications aggressively marketed on the internet. The Swedish Medical Products Agency has also issued warnings about these fake drugs. Currently, six types of weight loss medications are approved in the EU, but only Orlistat is subsidized for obesity treatment, pushing patients toward risky behaviors due to financial barriers.