Congressman Hudson Urges Action on Counterfeit Chinese Weight Loss Drugs Hurting Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-09) led a group of bipartisan House colleagues in sending a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary urging immediate action against the rising threat of illegal, counterfeit anti-obesity medications entering the U.S. 

These counterfeit products, which include unapproved versions of the active ingredients in Ozempic and Wegovy, which are often smuggled from unregistered foreign suppliers, primarily in China, and pose serious risks to American consumers.

“The United States has set the gold standard for safe, effective medicine,” said Rep. Hudson. “I want to make sure North Carolinians, and all Americans, are able to have access to safe treatments without the fear of unsafe, illicit and unapproved ingredients. I look forward to working with Commissioner Makary and Secretary Kennedy to improve our oversight of these illicit drugs and protecting the health and safety of all Americans.”

The letter asks the FDA to use its existing statutory authority to ramp up enforcement over illegally imported prescription drugs. Specifically, the agency should immediately work with Customs and Border Patrol to issue an import alert and step up enforcement at the border to prevent Chinese entities from undermining America’s supply of safe medicines by shipping unsafe and illicit weight loss drugs into the United States.

Members expressed their readiness to work with Commissioner Makary and the Administration to ensure the FDA has the tools, clarity, and support they need to address the problem. 

Read the full letter here.