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As the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise, more and more products are being sold illegally under the guise of “nutritional supplements” or “over-the-counter medicines” that promise to prevent, treat, or even cure diabetes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises consumers not to use such products for a variety of reasons. For example, they may contain harmful ingredients or may contain no active ingredients at all. Additionally, if a prescription drug is hidden within the product, it may be improperly marketed as an over-the-counter (over-the-counter) drug or dietary supplement.

These products pose additional risks if people delay or stop effective treatment for diabetes.

More than 38 million people in the United States have diabetes, and nearly 1 in 4 adults don't know they have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, approximately 96 million adults have prediabetes. This means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, and you can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by making lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing serious health complications, including:

• death
• Heart disease
• chronic kidney disease,
• nerve damage,
• foot health,
• oral health,
• hearing loss,
• loss of vision,
• mental health

far-reaching problem

Products that promise quick fixes may be appealing, but if you choose an unapproved, unregulated, or fraudulent product, you're risking your health.

Diabetes is a chronic disease, but it is generally manageable. You can lower your risk of developing complications by following treatments prescribed by your health care professional, carefully monitoring your blood sugar levels, and following a proper diet and exercise program.

Unfortunately, “snake oil peddlers” continue to prey on people with chronic and incurable diseases such as diabetes.

Fake products for diabetes are especially problematic because there are effective options available to help manage this serious disease rather than risk exposing patients to unapproved or dangerous products.

One way to determine whether a diabetes product is unsafe or ineffective is whether it is sold as a nonprescription product or a dietary supplement.

FDA-approved diabetes medications are available only by prescription. Additionally, there are no nutritional supplements that treat or cure diabetes. In fact, the FDA requires dietary supplement products to carry a disclaimer stating that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” For more information on how to identify fraudulent products, see 6 Tips on Rip-offs: Don't Fall for Healthcare Scams.

To protect the public health, the FDA investigates consumer complaints and monitors the market for fraudulent products, including products that promise to treat diabetes and its complications.

unapproved diabetes drugs

The FDA has issued warning letters to various companies selling diabetes products in violation of federal law. These products are often sold as:

• diet supplements
• alternative medicine
• Over-the-counter or over-the-counter medicines
• homeopathic products

In September 2021, the FDA and Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to 10 companies for illegally selling dietary supplements that claim to treat, cure, alleviate, or prevent diabetes.

FDA laboratories have found that some “natural” diabetes products contain hidden active ingredients found in approved prescription drugs used to treat diabetes. You may be wondering what harm there is if a product contains these undeclared active ingredients. These are illegal products and can be dangerous, so don't be fooled.

If consumers and their health care professionals do not know the actual active ingredients in the products they are taking, these products can have dangerous interactions with other medications. One possible complication is that patients may end up taking more diabetes drugs in combination than intended. This can cause a significant and dangerous drop in blood sugar levels, a condition known as hypoglycemia.

scam pharmacy

The FDA also monitors the Internet for illegal sales of prescription drugs and potentially unsafe products by fraudulent online pharmacies.

Purchasing medicines from unsafe online pharmacies can put consumers at risk. These websites often sell unapproved, counterfeit, or unsafe medications outside of the safety measures followed by licensed pharmacies. Products sold are disguised to appear authentic or effective, but may contain the wrong ingredients, too little, too much, or no active ingredient at all. May contain other harmful ingredients.

Additionally, consumers cannot be sure that the manufacturing and handling of these drugs complies with U.S. law or meets other required safeguards, such as storing drugs at appropriate temperatures. This is very important for diabetes medications such as insulin, ensuring that these medications are not at risk. Effectiveness is lost or reduced.

To learn more about the potential dangers of purchasing medicines from unsafe websites, tips for safely purchasing medicines online, and how to report illegal sales, visit BeSafeRx.

FDA maintains a list of Internet Pharmacy Warning Letters issued to companies for the following purposes:

• Sale of illegally sold products
• Sales of counterfeit medicines
• Provide prescription drugs without a prescription
• Providing prescription drugs without proper instructions for safe use
• Providing prescription drugs without the FDA-required warnings to consumers about the serious health risks associated with prescription drugs.

Identifying legitimate online pharmacies

To ensure you choose a safe and licensed online pharmacy, you must have a valid prescription to purchase prescription drugs, a physical business address within the United States, and a license from your state Board of Pharmacy. Find a pharmacy in your state that accepts the drug. A certified pharmacist will answer your questions. You can find your state's Board of Pharmacy using the FDA's “Locate a State-Licensed Online Pharmacy” web page.

If you have questions about diabetes treatment or whether a particular online pharmacy is safe to use, please consult your health care professional.

How to report

If you believe you have found a website that may be illegally selling human drugs, dietary supplements, or other medical products, please report illegal sales of medical products on the Internet on the FDA website. We encourage you to submit information through .

Health care professionals and consumers should report any problems or reactions (often referred to as potential side effects) to 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 FDA Form 3500 (available on the MedWatch Form Downloads page) in advance. You can also mail it to the address provided. -Addressed form.

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