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As the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to grow, the number of products sold under the guise of “dietary supplements” or “over-the-counter medications” that promise to prevent, treat, and even treat diabetes is illegally sold.
The US Food and Drug Administration advises consumers not to use such products for many reasons. For example, they may contain harmful ingredients or contain no active ingredients at all. Additionally, if prescription drugs are hidden in the product, they may be sold inappropriately as a non-prescription drug or dietary supplement.
These products pose additional risks when people delay or discontinue effective treatment for diabetes.
More than 38 million people in the US suffer from diabetes, and one in four adults don't know what they have, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, approximately 96 million adults suffer from prediabetic disease. This means that it is higher than normal blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of developing diabetes through lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise.
People with diabetes are at increased risk for developing serious health complications, including:
- death
- Heart disease
- Chronic kidney disease,
- Nerve damage,
- Foot health,
- Oral health,
- Hearing loss,
- Loss of vision,
- Mental health
A wide range of issues
Products that promise simple fixes may be attractive, but if you choose an unapproved, unregulated or fraudulent product, you are gambling with your health.
Diabetes is a chronic disease, but it is generally easy to manage. Careful monitoring of blood glucose levels and sticking to an appropriate diet and exercise program can reduce the risk of developing complications according to the treatment prescribed by a medical professional.
Unfortunately, “snake oil peddlers” still prey on people with chronic or incurable diseases such as diabetes.
Fake diabetes products are particularly troubling because they don't risk exposing patients to approved or dangerous products, but they have effective options to help manage this serious illness.
One way to determine whether a diabetic product is unsafe or ineffective is whether it is sold as a non-prescription product or a dietary supplement.
FDA approved diabetes medications are available only by prescription. Furthermore, there are no dietary supplements to treat or treat diabetes. In fact, the FDA should label dietary supplements with a disclaimer saying “not intended to diagnose, treat, treat or prevent disease.” You can read more about how to identify rogue products with six chip-offs. Don't fall into a health scam.
To protect public health, the FDA investigates consumer complaints and monitors the market for fraudulent products, including those committed to treating diabetes and its complications.
Unapproved diabetes medication
The FDA issues warning letters to various companies that sell products for diabetes in violation of federal law. These products are often sold as follows:
- Nutritional supplements
- Alternatives
- Over-the-counter or non-prescription drugs
- Homeopathic Products
In September 2021, the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to 10 companies to illegally sell dietary supplements that claim to treat, treat, alleviate or prevent diabetes.
The FDA Institute has discovered that it contains “all-natural” diabetes products, which contain hidden active ingredients found in approved prescription drugs used to treat diabetes. What is the harm if the product contains these undeclared active ingredients? Don't be fooled, these are illegal products and can be dangerous.
If consumers and their healthcare professionals don't know the actual active ingredients of the product they are ingesting, these products can interact with other drugs in dangerous ways. One complication: The patient may end up taking a larger combined dose of diabetes medication than intended. This can cause a significant and unsafe drop in blood glucose, a condition known as blood glucose.
Fraudulent drugs
The FDA is also monitoring the internet for illegal marketing of prescription drugs by fraudulent online pharmacies or potentially unsafe products.
Buying medications from an unsafe online pharmacy can put consumers at risk. These websites often sell approved, counterfeit, or other unsafe medicines other than protective agents. Products sold are genuine or effective, but may contain the wrong ingredients, too little, too much, no active ingredients at all, or other harmful ingredients.
Furthermore, consumers cannot be confident that the production or handling of these drugs is in compliance with US law or meet other necessary protective measures, such as storing the drug at an appropriate temperature. This is extremely important for diabetic drugs such as insulin, and does not lose or reduce its effectiveness.
For the potential risks of purchasing drugs from unsafe websites, tips on how to safely purchase medicines online, and how to report illegal sales, visit Besaferx.
The FDA maintains a list of Internet pharmacy warning letters issued to the following companies:
- Selling products that are sold illegally
- Sales of counterfeit medicines
- Provision of prescription drugs
- Provides prescription medications without proper instructions for safe use
- Provide prescription medication without consumer warning of FDA requests regarding serious health risks associated with prescription medications
Identifying a legitimate online pharmacy
To choose a safe and licensed online pharmacy, find what you need to have a valid prescription to purchase prescription medication, provide a physical business address in the US, licensed by state pharmacies, and provide state licensed pharmacists to answer questions. You can use the FDA location to find the state pharmacy committee.
If you have questions about diabetes treatment or if certain online pharmacies are safe to use, consult a healthcare professional.
How to report
If you believe you have found a website that illegally sells human drugs, dietary supplements, or other medical products, we recommend submitting your information by reporting the illegal sale of medical products on the Internet, available on the FDA website.
Healthcare professionals and consumers should report problems and reactions (often referred to as potential side effects) to the FDA's MedWatch program. www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm. Alternatively, you can call 800-FDA-1088 (800-332-1088), fax 800-FDA-0178, or submit to the address of the form you addressed to FDA Form 3500 (available on the Form Download page on MedWatch).
