Three of the people who took the suspected fake Ozempic did so to control their diabetes, while four took it for weight management, Karam said. People with diabetes need to closely manage their blood sugar, which can be done with a variety of medicines including Ozempic. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health issued two recalls related to Ozempic in January 2023, according to its website. Karam said Ozempic is neither purchased nor provided by the Ministry of Public Health. Several people have been hospitalized in Austria for hypoglycemia after taking potentially fake versions of Ozempic.

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Persons: Rita Karam, Eli Lilly's, Novo's, Karam, Ozempic, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health, Novo Nordisk, World Obesity, Obesity, International Diabetes Federation, Ministry of Public Health, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lebanon, Germany, Egypt, Russia, United States, Novo, Britain, Belgium, Austria