Is My GLP-1 Pen Real? How to Check for Counterfeit Pens

Why this check is worth two minutes

Counterfeit GLP-1 medication isn’t only a gray-market website problem. In its December 2025 alert, FDA said it had seized counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) injection 1 mg that was distributed illegally outside Novo Nordisk’s authorized supply chain — and that the seized products were in the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain. The April 2025 alert described several hundred counterfeit units found the same way. In December 2023, FDA reported seizing thousands of units and said analysis found the needles in those samples were counterfeit, so their sterility could not be confirmed. The pen label, the patient and health care professional information, and the carton were also confirmed counterfeit components.

FDA’s message to patients in each alert was consistent: get the medication with a valid prescription from a state-licensed pharmacy, and check the product before using it for any signs of counterfeiting. That second step is what this guide is about. It does not cover how much to inject, whether to keep taking a medication, or how well any product works — those are conversations for your prescriber and pharmacist.

What FDA told patients to look for

The three Ozempic alerts each named something specific on the label:

• December 2023: do not use product labeled with lot number NAR0074 and serial number 430834149057.
• April 2025: do not use product labeled with lot number PAR0362 and a serial number whose first eight digits are 51746517. PAR0362 is also an authentic lot number; the serial number is what separates the counterfeit.
• December 2025: counterfeits labeled lot PAR1229 — also an authentic lot number — can be identified by where the “EXP/LOT” text sits on the pen label. On the counterfeit it appears to the left of the expiration date and lot number; on authentic pens it appears above them. FDA said Ozempic 1 mg with lot PAR1229 received through the Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program is authentic.

These alerts concern Ozempic 1 mg, but the habit applies to any injectable GLP-1: Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, or anything else. New alerts can appear after this page was written, so check FDA’s drug alerts page and the manufacturer’s website when you pick up a new box, especially if the pharmacy or the source has changed.

A two-minute check at pickup or delivery

1. Match the label to your prescription. The drug name, strength, and pen type on the pharmacy label should match what your prescriber ordered. If the box says something different, ask before you leave the counter.
2. Find the lot, serial, and expiration date on the carton and on the pen. Photograph them — you’ll want the photo if you ever need to report a problem or answer a recall question.
3. Compare against current alerts. Look at FDA’s counterfeit alerts for your product. Remember that a lot number by itself may be legitimate; FDA’s alerts pair the lot with a serial number or a label-layout detail.
4. Look at the packaging. FDA’s BeSafeRx guidance flags medicine that looks different from what you usually receive, or that arrives broken, damaged, in a foreign language, without an expiration date, or expired. Missing inserts, misspellings, smudged printing, or a seal that looks tampered with are reasons to stop and ask.
5. Check the pen needles. The December 2023 alert found counterfeit needles. If the needles that came with the pen look different from your usual ones, ask the pharmacist before you use them.
6. Keep the box until the pen is used up. The carton carries the lot information. Throwing it away on day one makes later questions harder to answer.

Mail-order and specialty-pharmacy deliveries need the same check plus a cold-chain look at the packaging. Our mail-order delivery checklist covers what to inspect when an insulated box shows up on your porch.

Where you fill matters most

FDA’s BeSafeRx program spells out what a safe online pharmacy looks like. It:

• always requires a valid prescription from your prescriber;
• provides a physical address and telephone number in the United States;
• has a licensed pharmacist available to answer your questions; and
• is licensed by a state board of pharmacy.

FDA suggests looking the pharmacy up in your state board of pharmacy’s license database, using the locator on the BeSafeRx site, and not using a pharmacy that isn’t listed. The warning signs run the other way: no prescription required, no U.S. license, no pharmacist, prices that seem too good to be true, spam offering cheap medicine, or a promise to ship from another country.

Shortages and high prices push people toward sellers they’d never use otherwise. If you’re hunting for stock, work through licensed pharmacies first — our shortage playbook covers calling around, checking with your prescriber about alternatives, and keeping a refill on schedule. If you’re moving a prescription, see how to transfer a GLP-1 prescription.

Counterfeit, compounded, and brand-name are three different things

These terms get blurred online. A counterfeit pretends to be a brand-name product, down to the carton and label. A compounded drug is prepared by a pharmacy; it is not an FDA-approved product, which means FDA has not reviewed it for safety, effectiveness, or quality. A brand-name product is the FDA-approved medication made by its manufacturer and distributed through its authorized supply chain. If you’re unsure which one you’re getting — for example, if a telehealth service ships a vial instead of a branded pen — ask the dispensing pharmacist to tell you exactly what the product is and who made it. This guide doesn’t weigh in on which option is right for you; that decision belongs with your prescriber.

If something looks wrong

1. Don’t use the pen. Set it aside in the refrigerator or wherever you normally store it, separate from your other pens, so nobody uses it by mistake.
2. Keep the evidence. Hold on to the pen, the carton, the inserts, the needles, and the receipt or delivery slip. Photograph the label and lot information.
3. Call the pharmacy that dispensed it. Ask whether it has received any notices about that lot and how it handles a replacement.
4. Contact the manufacturer. For Ozempic, FDA’s alert lists Novo Nordisk customer care at 1-800-727-6500, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. For other products, use the customer line on the carton or the manufacturer’s official website.
5. Report it to FDA. FDA asks that suspected counterfeit products and sellers be reported, and that side effects be reported through MedWatch, online or by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178. FDA’s general line is 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332).
6. Call your prescriber about your prescription and how to stay on schedule while a replacement is sorted out. If you’ve already used a suspect pen and feel unwell, seek medical care.

Don’t throw a suspect pen in the trash or a sharps container before you’ve talked to the pharmacy — they or the manufacturer may want it back. Once you’re told how to dispose of it, follow the steps in our unused medication disposal guide.

Habits that make the next check easier

• Use one or two pharmacies you know rather than switching sources every fill.
• Keep a note in your phone of each box’s lot number, expiration date, and the date you picked it up.
• Sign up for manufacturer and FDA email updates if you want alerts to come to you.
• When traveling, pack pens in their cartons or keep a photo of each label, so a replacement abroad or a question at security is easier to handle.
• Be wary of anyone who offers a pen from their own supply, a social-media seller, or a site that doesn’t ask for your prescription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• FDA — FDA warns consumers not to use counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) found in U.S. drug supply chain (updates 12/21/2023, 4/14/2025, 12/5/2025)
• FDA — How to Buy Medicines Safely From an Online Pharmacy
• FDA BeSafeRx — Locate a State-Licensed Online Pharmacy
• FDA BeSafeRx — Frequently Asked Questions
• Novo Nordisk — Company statement on counterfeit Ozempic lot PAR1229 (December 5, 2025)
• Your pharmacist and the official package insert for your specific medication