(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
Ozempic... Ozempic...
A game-changer...
VOICEOVER: Injectable weight-loss drugs are hot. Ozempic... A game-changer...
VOICEOVER: Injectable weight-loss drugs are hot.
ELISE WORTHINGTON: The hype around drugs like Ozempic
is sweeping the globe.
The market for weight-loss drugs
could reach $100 billion in the next eight years.
could reach $100 billion They could become the highest-grossing drugs
They could become of all time.
JOHN DIXON: These new drugs of all time.
JOHN DIXON: These new drugs were clearly going to be popular.
It probably got a little bit too exciting.
It probably got SONG: # Ozempic
# Wegovy
# Mounjaro
# No more sorrow... #
(GASPS)
# I don't care about my face
# Just a little, tiny waist
# Put that shot in me
# Skinny
# Win. #
LAUREN ASH: A lot of people, this is their last option.
They have tried healthy eating, they have tried exercising,
and it just doesn't work because it's not that simple.
and it just doesn't work # Skinny... #
There's no way drug companies can satisfy exploding demand.
We've got zero stocks of Ozempic in the 1.5 mil.
We've got zero stocks of Ozempic None available at all.
# Put that shot in me. #
The supply crisis has created
an opportunity for unscrupulous operators to move in.
When there's a lucrative market in anywhere,
you're going to get cowboys.
And they're flooding doctors around the world with ads for replica drugs.
These are the faxes that we get in advertising their Ozempic.
Oh, yeah, that's dodgy as. That's just totally unacceptable.
So, they're trying to pass off as if they're the real deal.
They just know patients are desperate.
And patients are at risk.
We can't tell you if they work. And patients are at risk.
We can't tell you if they work. We can't tell you if they're safe.
And here's our vial.
Looks like one of the ice packs has exploded.
ADAM REINHARD: Please, for the love of God, do not inject anything.
ADAM REINHARD: Please, for the love We don't know what that is.
A team of forensic experts
has descended on the house in Western Sydney looking for evidence.
Four Corners uncovers the home-grown scam sending suspect drugs overseas.
(BUSY CHATTER)
Yep.
She was on our waiting list and she sent through the script.
Hello. This is Alex.
This is the front line of an unprecedented drug shortage.
Patients are looking everywhere to find Ozempic.
They're just ringing pharmacy after pharmacy after pharmacy,
They're just ringing pharmacy so, they're just hoping.
And if you do have the stock, it's like... (GASPS)
No-one's ordered the Ozempic yet from Sigma?
Not today. No.
Hey. It's Alex from Harpers Pharmacy.
I want to place our regular Ozempic on back order, please.
Pharmacists are chasing stock of the blockbuster medication,
Pharmacists are chasing stock trying to meet customer demand.
Is there any word on when that will come back?
Thank you very much. OK. Bye.
Not back.
OK.
If you could order as much as you wanted,
how much do you reckon you would order that you know you could sell?
I would completely fill all of our fridges.
(LAUGHS) I would completely fill all of our fridges.
(LAUGHS)
Because that's the limit, obviously. It's a fridge line too. But...
Because that's the limit, obviously. Oh, look, it...
Thousands. Yeah.
And how quickly could you sell that?
A few days if we had the stock. Yeah.
It's not just Ozempic.
Customers are after another drug promising even more weight loss.
Mounjaro was released in Australia last year,
Mounjaro was released in Australia costing up to $700 a month.
It started selling out within weeks.
API is showing nothing. Stock in two days.
And, yeah, the others have nothing coming.
Here's what we have. Yep, yep.
In Australia
both Ozempic and Mounjaro are only approved to treat diabetes,
but doctors can use their own discretion
to prescribe the drugs to patients wanting to lose weight.
Alright, so, I think we've got about 20 units left
and we've just got to get through everyone on the waiting list
and we've just got to get through until we run out,
which won't be many.
Right.
I've been in pharmacy for more than 30 years.
I've never seen anything like this.
It's well over a year now that this has been a problem.
And it's not like there's been no stock.
It's just that the usage and the demand
has been growing over time.
And yes, I...
I can't see that abating And yes, I...
I can't see that abating any time soon.
VOICEOVER: These days it's the talk of TikTok. I can't see that abating any time soon.
VOICEOVER: These days it's the talk of TikTok.
Have you heard about it? Are you on it? Do you have questions?
Have you heard about it? Are you Today is injection day.
# You better work, bitch! #
Where the medication is, we already put the needle on.
For me, it's sort of just not making me want to eat...
Success stories on social media
have fuelled demand all around the world.
Lord, if you let me get skinny one more time,
Lord, if you let me get skinny I promise I won't mess it up.
Amen.
SONG: # O-O-O Amen.
SONG: # O-O-O
# Ozempic! #
Ozempic. Ozempic.
Now there's Ozempic. Ozempic. Ozempic.
Now there's Ozempic.
What is Ozempic? OK, so, Ozempic is a diabetes drug.
So, it's called semaglutide and it's known as a GLP-1 agonist.
So, what that is it's one of our gut hormones
that naturally gets released when we eat.
that naturally gets released And when we inject it
at much higher doses And when we inject it
at much higher doses than our body would usually have
it slows down gastric emptying, which is why you feel full.
But one of the main ways it works is by talking to our brain
and regulating that, the appetite control and the drive for food.
The GLP-1s are acting in a physiological way
in the gut, The GLP-1s are acting in a physiological way
in the gut,
and they're signalling the brain to say,
"Eat less. You're satisfied with less. You don't need as much."
People will tell me that,
"Now I understand how people can just push the plate away."
The weight-loss potential of Ozempic
was reported in a landmark study
led by John Wilding and funded by drug company Novo Nordisk.
What we found was that the people treated with semaglutide
lost about 15% of their body weight, about 15 kilos,
whereas those people who'd just been given the dummy injections
and still the dietary advice
only lost about 2.5 kilos in weight.
VOICEOVER: What if all I do isn't enough?
Mounjaro created even more excitement.
Plus people taking Mounjaro lost up to 25 pounds.
So, it does seem to be from the trials that we've seen so far
to be more effective than semaglutide for weight loss.
We're starting to get into the range of weight loss
that you see after some forms of bariatric surgery,
and that's something that we've never really seen before
with weight-loss medications.
So, that I think was very exciting.
I feel like a regular person So, that I think was very exciting.
I feel like a regular person
instead of a fat person I feel like a regular person
instead of a fat person that gets ignored or shamed.
Any of that. I actually feel like I'm...
Like, you know, when you lose the weight,
I experienced being...
..I felt seen, which was a really nice change.
..I felt seen, I wasn't ignored
because I was just that fat person walking down the street.
I was 115.5 kilos.
I'd tried the gym.
I had tried eating healthy.
I had tried absolutely everything.
I went to my doctor.
He said that, "You should try Ozempic."
And, so, I did.
And I was on Ozempic for just over 12 months and I lost 30 kilos.
Then the shortage hit,
and then it was game over.
Yeah.
Then I gained it all back.
What happened?
So... Well, because there was no Ozempic, I didn't...
So... Well, because ..I couldn't keep losing weight.
And then I was on steroids ..I couldn't keep losing weight.
And then I was on steroids for my issues.
And then I was on steroids And then that is, like, weight gain.
So... Yeah.
Very sad. Yeah.
Studies show most people Very sad. Yeah.
Studies show most people regain the weight they've lost
Studies show most people when they stop taking the drugs.
I went from, like, being really big to a size 14,
and I was like, "Yes! This is how people are meant to feel."
and I was like, "Yes! This is how It was amazing.
And then I went back up again
and I was like, "Oh, that was nice for a little bit."
(CHUCKLES) Yeah. Yep.
Lauren Ash got her hopes up again when Mounjaro arrived in Australia.
And, so, as soon as I heard about that, I wanted to try it
because I heard it's better than Ozempic
and I was assured that there wasn't going to be a shortage,
things were going to be amazing and it was going to be long term.
things were going to be amazing So, it was really, really exciting.
So, this is my Mounjaro, my weekly dose.
So, this is my Mounjaro, So, it comes with a very big list.
Have you ever opened it up to read?
The first time I did Have you ever opened it up to read?
The first time I did because I think you should.
If you're going to take a medication,
If you're going you should read all that stuff
and things you should not do.
Like, it's huge.
OK. So, this has got, like, the list of side effects and everything?
Mm-hm. "Check with your doctor if..."
If you have children, they shouldn't take it.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding, you shouldn't take it.
These medications can have serious side effects.
Dehydration, pancreatitis, allergic reactions, gall bladder...
Dehydration, pancreatitis, Yeah. Mm-hm.
So, your doctor went through...
Absolutely. So, your doctor went through...
Absolutely. ..all of this.
Yes. Yeah.
It's quite a long list. Yep.
Some people do vomit.
Some people feel a bit funny in their tummies.
Some people feel Some people might have diarrhoea.
Some people might not have Some people might have diarrhoea.
Some people might not have any bad side effects.
My side effect was I had a two-day migraine
the first time I took Ozempic,
and I don't suffer from migraines, and that was awful.
and I don't suffer from migraines, But after that I was fine.
It just depended on the person.
There's no reliable data
on how many Australians like Lauren
are taking these drugs for weight loss.
She started a Facebook support group to find others like her.
She started a Facebook support group It quickly grew to 50,000 members,
and it's not the only one.
I see many people
that don't tell a soul that they're on Ozempic or Mounjaro
because of shame, because of judgement.
People just don't get it. They're like, "Well...why...why...
"Why are you on that? You don't need to be on that."
Or "Why don't you just put down that burger and go for a walk?"
It's exhausting. People just don't want to have to talk about it.
They just want to be able to get on with it.
So, in our group, they can talk about it because we get it.
We first met Lauren in November last year
just before the latest shortage took hold.
She was tired of the shame and stigma many in her group experienced,
so, she decided to share her journey in video diaries.
so, she decided to share her journey Week 7 on Mounjaro.
I just thought I'd check in.
So, I have currently lost six kilos, I just thought I'd check in.
So, I have currently lost six kilos, which is amazing.
So, I have currently lost six kilos, So, I'm feeling really positive
and it's really, really good
to be able to now have more energy to play with my kids.
Week 8 on Mounjaro.
I put my script in with the chemist
and they said I put my script in with the chemist
and they said there's a short-term shortage.
So, I'm hoping that means that I won't miss out on it for too long.
Trying not to stress
because this happened with Ozempic
and I ended up putting all because this happened with Ozempic
and I ended up putting all the weight back on that I'd lost,
and I ended up putting all so, that wasn't great.
People in the group are starting to panic as well.
Just taking it a day at a time
and hope to God the shortage ends soon.
and hope to God Week 11 on Mounjaro.
I'm just trying to get through best I can, really,
and really not thinking about
what I'm going to do once I've gone through all my vials.
Lauren grew increasingly worried
as Mounjaro became almost impossible to find.
Manufacturer Eli Lilly blamed larger than expected demand.
Update on my Mounjaro journey.
So, things have just been a bit... a bit crappy, honestly.
So, things have just been a bit... There's been none available.
I have had to completely stretch out There's been none available.
I have had to completely stretch out my dosage, keeping it really low.
I've not lost any weight, I've gained probably a kilo,
I've not lost any weight, which is really frustrating
because I was all so excited about, you know, losing weight,
being a better version of myself, all of that stuff.
being a better version of myself, So...
(EXHALES HEAVILY) ..it's been really hard.
People are desperate and they will do what they can
because most of them have been on Ozempic or Mounjaro
because most of them or whatever they've been on before
and know that it works
and they just want to continue on and know that it works
and they just want to continue on being able to do that.
Pharmacists are allowed to make their own versions of drugs
in times of shortage.
It's called compounding,
and more and more people are relying on it for weight-loss medications.
There's around half a dozen established compounding pharmacies
making their own versions of Ozempic and Mounjaro in Australia.
The problem that we became aware of
was, essentially, The problem that we became aware of
was, essentially, the scale of the compounding.
So, compounding of semaglutide products
at a very large scale,
so, they start now to look like a pharmaceutical company,
but they're doing so without any of the checks and regulations
that a large pharmaceutical company need.
I mean, semaglutide is quite a complicated molecule.
It has to be mixed in the right way to make it safe to inject.
And my concern is, if people are trying to do this, It has to be mixed in the right way to make it safe to inject.
And my concern is, if people are trying to do this,
And my concern even if it is in
a reputable laboratory that is actually used to making medicines,
that is not the same as the approved process,
which is what gets the drug the licence.
VOICEOVER: Juniper's Weight Reset Program
takes a medical approach to weight loss.
Large telehealth providers like Juniper
saw a market opportunity in weight-loss drugs.
saw a market opportunity When the name-brand drugs ran out,
they started offering compounded versions instead.
Leaves patients feeling fuller for longer.
Soon after, the Therapeutic Goods Administration issued a safety alert
Soon after, the Therapeutic Goods about compounded weight-loss drugs.
The most important message
is that the TGA has not evaluated The most important message
is that the TGA has not evaluated these drugs,
that we can't tell you exactly what they are,
we can't tell you if they work and we can't tell you if they're safe.
And we have no oversight of the quality
And we have no oversight of these medications at all.
I think it's been a bit confusing.
There's lots of things that keep coming out with TGA,
which we post in our group
so people can look at it
and they can make their own informed choices about it.
Many in Lauren's Facebook community
rely on compounded versions of the drugs.
We definitely put that in the group as a viable option to keep on going,
but only going to a reputable chemist.
but only going Don't go to these scammy things
that come up in an ad on Facebook Don't go to these scammy things
that come up in an ad on Facebook or you get an email.
that come up in an ad on Facebook Yeah, reputable.
Hi!
Hey! How are you?!
I'm good. How are you going?
I'm good.
Kate is one of the moderators
helping Lauren manage Kate is one of the moderators
helping Lauren manage the ever-expanding Facebook group.
They're often on the lookout for dodgy suppliers.
I've seen quite a few posts about being...like, the dodgy scams.
I've seen a few with, like, emails, but also faxes
and ads on Facebook as well.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there
who are trying to make money off of a really bad situation.
People getting faxes from just random chemists.
People I know in group have paid money,
People I know in group and then nothing.
Never arrives.
And then they can't get in contact Never arrives.
And then they can't get in contact with the chemist.
People just... They don't care, they just want to make a buck,
and they'll just do it to anyone, really.
Look, I think there's always the door open and they'll just do it to anyone, really.
Look, I think there's always the door open
for people to scam people who want to lose weight.
They have been readily scammed for decades.
They have been readily scammed That'll continue.
We're about to take a deep dive
into a pharmaceutical scam that's been operating in plain sight.
It's a marketing campaign
that's been targeting doctors and patients around the country.
that's been targeting doctors (WAVES LAP, BIRDS SQUALL)
We're heading to Tasmania's north-east coast
after a tip-off that dodgy weight-loss drugs have ended up here
after a tip-off that dodgy and they've made some people sick.
ANDY HOULT: Compounded Ozempic we've heard about
ANDY HOULT: Compounded Ozempic the last few months, I suppose.
But then a few people around town,
when we can't supply them with the genuine product that we've had, But then a few people around town,
when we can't supply them with the genuine product that we've had,
I've heard sort of comments
that they've been able to get it elsewhere online,
that they've been able to get it that sort of thing.
The only pharmacy in the town of St Helens
has struggled to keep up with demand for the name-brand drugs.
So, what are the stocks like at the moment?
So, what are the stocks like We can come and have a look.
Current stock levels haven't been great lately.
So, just looking at one of our wholesalers here,
we've got zero stocks of Ozempic in the 1.5 mil,
and the 3 mil they have limited supplies.
And how long has that been going on for?
It's been like that since about... like this since November.
Previous to that, there wasn't even limited supplies at any.
It was none available at all.
Nothing. OK.
(PHONE RINGS)
Good morning. Ochre Medical Centre.
Last year, the local GP clinic started receiving faxes
offering a solution to the Ozempic shortage.
So, these are the faxes that we would get
from the compounding pharmaceutical companies.
It's a much more aggressive advertising kind of approach
than what we'd normally see from compounding pharmacies.
than what we'd normally see And, so, initially we ignored these
until we had patients really being much more interested
in the use of compounding medications.
Some doctors here began prescribing
the compounded semaglutide promoted in the faxes.
I talk about the advantages and disadvantages of using semaglutide. the compounded semaglutide promoted in the faxes.
I talk about the advantages and disadvantages of using semaglutide.
Some patients lost 20 kilos, and that was really good.
They seemed to have the usual side effects
They seemed to have you would expect from semaglutide.
Mm. you would expect from semaglutide.
Mm. Mm.
And when did you start thinking
something might not quite be right with it?
something might not What was the first red flag?
We had a patient who came in What was the first red flag?
We had a patient who came in with an unusual problem,
We had a patient who came in who had a sensory neuropathy,
a problem with the nerves in the periphery of their body,
so, in their hands and their feet.
It was so serious the patient ended up in hospital.
The liquid the patient injected had an unusual bright-red colour.
The liquid the patient injected The label said
it contained semaglutide, vitamin B12 and L-carnitine,
but testing revealed the patient had high levels of something else -
vitamin B6.
They turned out to have a really high vitamin in their blood level,
They turned out to have a really and that was odd,
and they weren't on anything
that would increase the level of that vitamin
except for semaglutide from the compounding pharmacy.
We contacted all of our patients
who were using the compounded semaglutide
who were using and essentially said to them,
"I can't be sure and essentially said to them,
"I can't be sure what's in this medication,
"I can't be sure "and, so, my advice is to stop it."
And how concerning was that for you as a doctor?
It was a real shock.
Our patients trust us,
and we trust that the people who supply our medications
and we trust that the people are providing something
that's of a quality and a standard are providing something
that's of a quality and a standard that we can rely on.
So, that threw a lot of doubts in our head
So, that threw about where this is coming from
and what else might be in there about where this is coming from
and what else might be in there or not in there.
And there was another local with an unusual side effect.
I've just met with a patient
who was taking this compounded weight-loss medication.
She's told very few people she was even on it, who was taking this compounded weight-loss medication.
She's told very few people she was even on it,
so, she doesn't want to go on camera or talk about it publicly.
Initially she had severe diarrhoea and vomiting,
then her mouth wouldn't stop bleeding.
She stopped taking the medication,
but the compounding pharmacy kept trying to sell her more.
She replied this way.
So, the pharmacy was offering the patients more drugs without a script?
That's what it would seem like
when I looked at the text messages the patient showed me, yep.
Doctors couldn't track down the pharmacist who made the drugs.
Doctors couldn't track down We tried to contact them
after noticing this problem with the vitamin,
and we didn't get any reply back from them.
Last December, Dr Fox made a formal report to the TGA.
The next month, they asked him to send a vial for testing,
but he never heard back.
It's interesting when I have the conversation with the TGA,
they go, "Well, we're not really responsible
"for managing compounded pharmaceuticals,"
"for managing and the pharmaceutical board says,
"We're not actually monitoring each individual medication."
So, it seems like there's a real hole
in the way we look after these medications and how they're managed
and make sure that they're produced safely.
We wanted to learn more about who was selling the red vials,
We wanted to learn more so, we placed an order.
And I'm going to press 'send'
and we'll see how quickly they respond.
They replied asking how much we wanted.
They've sent through an invoice for the semaglutide.
They've sent through an invoice There's a 'pay now' button.
$150 plus $14.95 shipping.
But, at this point, we haven't even sent a script,
But, at this point, but they're happy to take our money.
Four Corners has spoken to dozens of doctors, GP clinics and specialists
Four Corners has spoken to dozens of around the country
who have been bombarded around the country
who have been bombarded with compounding faxes and emails.
They appear to be from different compounding pharmacies,
They appear to be from different but there are striking similarities.
The prices and dosage guides are the same.
Many falsely claim they're accredited by industry bodies.
Even spelling mistakes are repeated.
There's never a phone number or a physical address.
Different pharmacies share fax numbers
and there's only ever a Gmail contact.
No pharmacy uses Gmail. It's not really professional.
The fact you can't even find their phone number?
I mean, that's already red flags there.
One pharmacy name that keeps coming up in the faxes
is Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals,
or TCP.
Again TCP - Total Compounding...
It's just dragging my name through the mud.
This pharmacy on Sydney's North Shore has been mistaken for TCP.
This pharmacy on Sydney's North Shore So, we're called
The Compounding Pharmacy Australia. So, we're called
The Compounding Pharmacy Australia.
So, short - TCPA.
And they were So, short - TCPA.
And they were calling themselves TCP.
And they were So, when you Google that,
our pharmacy came up first.
(PHONE RINGS)
Good afternoon. Compounding Pharmacy Australia.
Good afternoon. Adam speaking. How can I help you?
We started getting these phone calls about two years ago.
It was very odd.
At times we were getting 20 a day,
and it was just really affecting the operations of our regular pharmacy.
They kept talking about the weight-loss injections,
and I was like, "We don't even do that."
Angry patients were accusing him
of taking their money but not sending the drugs.
Others who did receive their medication
were worried about what they were sent.
Then when a patient was saying, "No, I've got something in my hand,"
Then when a patient was saying, I was like, "Oh, wow, that's...
"Now this is going up another level, this is actually dangerous
"because they've got something that they are going to inject."
"because they've got something And he was trying to explain,
and I said, "Can you please send pictures?"
The photos show red vials just like those sent to Tasmania.
My brain says, "That is not sterile at all,"
just even the way it's been presented to the patient.
I said, "Do not inject that
"because that is not... that is not sterile."
And, so, we don't know what is actually in there,
let alone if it is the drug,
and then how it was made.
My team and the teams at so many compounding pharmacies,
we're highly trained, highly skilled.
I said, "These are cowboys. Expect the worst."
Adam Reinhard says he reported what he knew
to the New South Wales Pharmacy Council,
to the New South Wales the Pharmacy Board and the police,
but it made no difference.
Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals was but it made no difference.
Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals was able to keep selling the red vials.
The way they've set up the operation,
only someone with intricate detail in compounding
only someone would understand how to do.
All the information led to me
that someone in the compounding world is part of this.
We've discovered the faxes and red vials
are at the centre of an international pharmaceutical racket.
Evidence from customers across the United States
shows weight-loss drugs are being illegally exported from Australia,
with American doctors and nurses being targeted with faxes
just like the ones we saw in Tasmania.
The scheme has been operating under the fake pharmacy name
Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals, or TCP.
Over here in the United States it's extremely popular right now.
Everybody's wanting to do the weight-loss injections.
How widely do you think these faxes and emails are going
How widely do you think in the United States?
Oh, I'm sure they're going out in the United States?
Oh, I'm sure they're going out everywhere.
I just don't know how they're finding out where to send them.
I just don't know how they're This nurse practitioner in Alabama
ordered from This nurse practitioner in Alabama
ordered from Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals
for one of her patients.
It took probably two weeks to get here.
So, that was, like, the first red flag.
I knew the minute that it came in
I was not going to give it to anybody,
it was going to go straight in the disposal
because, number one, it was not cooled,
and then I realised where it was shipped from,
and then I realised and it was from Australia.
And I was shocked.
We found a litany of complaints from American customers
about Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals.
I still get emails to this day from Total Compounding Pharmacy
wanting me to order more medicine from them.
But, of course, I'm not crazy enough to do something like that.
Our order still hadn't arrived,
but my bank statement revealed yet another name - Biopharmacy.
Unlike TCP,
it WAS once registered as a real pharmacy in Australia.
So, this is an address linked to the company that we're interested in.
So, this is an address linked to The tenants next door have told us
that there was actually a compounding pharmacy here,
but they suddenly disappeared a few years ago
and left a whole lot of equipment, including a pill press.
They also said there's lots of unopened mail
They also said that's been here for ages.
There's a whole lot of different that's been here for ages.
There's a whole lot of different company names linked to this address.
So, it looks like they definitely were here.
So, it looks like The tenants next door also told us
that they had people turning up The tenants next door also told us
that they had people turning up to the tyre shop with scripts
saying they were trying to get them filled,
saying they were trying and they sent them in here.
And this is where there actually was a large compounding pharmacy,
but they haven't been seen for years.
And then the order we placed finally arrived.
So, this is the package we've been waiting for.
We're going to have to go and open it and see what's actually inside.
There's lots and lots of layers of plastic.
It stinks.
It smells really strongly like It stinks.
It smells really strongly like chemicals or plastic or something.
It smells really strongly like It's wet.
And here's our vial of red liquid.
This looks like one of the ice packs has exploded,
so, there's weird stuff all through it.
There were syringes and instructions on how much to inject
even though we'd never sent a script.
It says it was posted from Dispatch Compound Centre,
Queen Street Mall, Brisbane, Queensland, Toowoomba.
So, we have really no idea where it's actually come from.
And then a critical lead came from an unhappy US customer.
And then a critical lead She wanted a refund,
so, PayPal told her to return the medicine to the seller
so, PayPal told her at a residential address in Sydney.
(KNOCKS)
So, there's no answer at the door.
But I've spoken to all the neighbours surrounding the house.
But I've spoken to all They've all told me the same thing,
that there's a constant stream of deliveries turning up at the house,
trucks that back into the driveway
and unload large boxes, sometimes things on pallets, into the garage,
and that they keep to themselves and that the blinds are often closed.
We discovered the owner of the house
is New South Wales registered pharmacist Emad Azzer.
His licence states he's not allowed to compound drugs
or have a financial interest in any compounding pharmacy.
His involvement in the weight-loss-drug operation
is obscured through a complex web of fake pharmacy names.
Would you be surprised to hear
that we've found an Australian registered pharmacist
illegally compounding weight-loss drugs
and selling them without a script
to Australians and to people overseas?
We are investigating a number of organisations
that we have information on
that are doing things that we have information on
that are doing things
that are outside of the legal exemptions in this area.
When will that be able to be stopped?
Because it's still happening today.
We are moving as fast as we can
in order to be able to bring about the relevant changes.
When there's a perceived lucrative market in anywhere, in order to be able to bring about the relevant changes.
When there's a perceived lucrative market in anywhere,
When there's a perceived you're going to get cowboys.
But the problem is, at the moment with compounding,
there's really...there's not enough checks and oversight
that's happening.
And, so, until we get that, we're going to keep seeing these cowboys.
And unfortunately what it does
is it puts pressure on the guys And unfortunately what it does
is it puts pressure on the guys that are actually doing things
is it puts pressure on the guys as they should.
(CHATTER, LAUGHTER)
In February, the TGA made a move
against the established compounding industry
against the established with a proposal to stop them
from compounding with a proposal to stop them
from compounding replica weight-loss drugs altogether.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration
will move to ban compounding pharmacists
from making their own versions of injectable weight-loss drugs
from making their own versions like Ozempic and Mounjaro.
I'm joined by health reporter Elise Worthington.
The TGA has concerns that this is happening on such a wide scale
that it could be a public health and safety risk.
So, it's kind of thrown people into a bit of a spin
because people who are taking these medications are very reliant on them.
because people who are taking these If they cease taking them,
the studies show that people immediately regain weight,
if that's the reason that they're taking them for.
if that's the reason If they're taking them for diabetes,
they need to continue that medication as well.
So, of course, people aren't choosing to take compounded medications.
They'd much rather have the name brand,
but that's just not available regularly in a good supply
but that's just not available in Australia at the moment.
Is this an admission
that there's been a failure in regulation that's led to this point?
I think this is how regulation works,
I think recognising that there is activity
that is not in keeping recognising that there is activity
that is not in keeping with the safety of the community
that is not in keeping and taking action to address it.
Total Compounding Pharmaceuticals
has been able to operate for years unchecked.
The TGA first received reports about the scam at least five months ago.
Last week we shared the findings of our investigation with them.
48 hours later
they executed a search warrant at Emad Azzer's home.
A team of forensics experts
has descended on the house in Western Sydney looking for evidence.
The owners of this house haven't been seen for days,
and the letters that we've left requesting comment
are still by the front door.
Inside the property
investigators found vials Inside the property
investigators found vials of red liquid,
investigators found vials which they seized for testing.
There was also packaging and documents.
The TGA says its investigations are ongoing.
DR KATHRYN WILLIAMS: It's a natural progression, isn't it?
Because people are desperate for a drug. There's a market.
Someone's going to try and fill that market.
I think it's a total system failure.
We really need to solve this problem.
Dr Kathryn Williams despairs over the struggle
to access weight-loss drugs for her patients.
I suppose that's what I would really like to get across,
that this is an emergency for some people.
(PHONE RINGS)
Good morning. Metabolic Health Service. Wilma speaking.
OK, certainly. So, just your name, please.
The Nepean Family Metabolic Health Service in Sydney's west
treats patients with complex obesity-related health problems.
The crisis over the cost and availability of weight-loss drugs
The crisis over the cost is felt acutely here.
Being an obesity specialist has really challenged me as a doctor is felt acutely here.
Being an obesity specialist has really challenged me as a doctor
because I know what will work,
but I can't always get access to what will work.
And I see people suffering every day and people that are really sick
and the hoops that we have to go through
to get the medications to those people
to get the medications that will have a massive effect,
and we can't provide that.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
We know that when you lose weight
a certain amount of muscle mass We know that when you lose weight
a certain amount of muscle mass is also lost.
Dr Williams leads the multidisciplinary program
at Nepean Hospital.
Some patients have to wait for years to get a place here.
It's important to have protein food as you're losing weight.
But there's no guarantee they'll be able to access drugs
But there's no guarantee like Ozempic and Mounjaro
to help them lose weight.
PATIENT: So, with the cost,
if, obviously, it's something like $400 a month,
that's not going to be in my budget to be able to afford.
But if it was within my budget, I'd definitely be trying it.
But if it was within my budget, So, across the day...
I think everyone in this group has medical indication
for these medications,
and, so, if they choose that that is the right therapy for them,
then they have the right to access them.
And I wish that they would have the access to those medications.
And what have been the challenges with these medications
And what have been the challenges for you as a service?
The biggest one has been the fact that it's user pays.
So, our patients
don't have the economic ability to pay for these drugs as a rule.
don't have the economic ability We're creating health inequity.
Ayipey! Would you like to come through?
Ayipey! It's not just the cost.
Even those who start on the medications
can't be sure they'll be able to continue on them.
So, I understand you've been having a bit of trouble
So, I understand accessing the Ozempic therapy,
and, like expected, when you come off these medications,
there is a little bit of weight regain
despite your best efforts and you eating well.
despite your best efforts It's a bit...annoying,
like it comes and then it goes,
and then you get confused in between,
because being obese or overweight,
it's not...it's not something...
Mm. it's not...it's not something...
Mm. It's not good.
I wish we will have it for people like me
so that we will not run out.
Like, every time you go,
you get what the doctor wants you to get.
you get what the doctor And it will help us
because without that
it makes you also... your mental health,
you start to worry and panic and all that.
Until drug companies can improve supply of the brand-name medications,
there's an opportunity for unscrupulous players to fill the gap.
I don't think anyone knew that this was going to happen.
But I guess in retrospect it's pretty obvious.
So far regulators are playing catch-up,
So far leaving consumers exposed.
Don't go to these scammy things that come up in an ad on Facebook
or you get an email.
People are desperate
because they just want to be able
to be the best versions of themselves.
We just want to be able to access these medications.
And there's no reason for the judgement.
And there's no reason They are life-changing.
They're life-changing medications.
So... Yeah.
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation