As the popularity of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) class anti-obesity drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro grows, a black market trading cheap smuggled and unapproved products is rapidly expanding in Brazil. The volume of illegal GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs seized in Brazil has surged about 100-fold in one year. As more consumers seek smuggled or unapproved products cheaper than official ones, worries about safety are also growing.
According to Reuters on the 31st (local time), the number of illegal GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs seized, tallied by the Brazil Anti-Counterfeiting Association, rose to 60,787 last year from 609 in 2024. Seizures are also climbing sharply this year.
Smuggling methods are getting bolder. In Apr., Brazilian customs officers inspecting a tour bus traveling from Paraguay to Brazil found hundreds of bottles of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the anti-obesity drug Mounjaro, hidden in jars of milk jam known as "dulce de leche." The anti-obesity drugs seized at the time numbered more than 2,500 bottles. Along the Brazil-Paraguay border, cases have also been uncovered of anti-obesity drugs being hidden in motorcycle exhaust pipes or the soles of fake shoes and brought in.
Brazil is one of the countries with high demand for anti-obesity drugs. This year, Brazil's anti-obesity drug market is expected to be about $7 billion (about 9.7 trillion won). According to market research firm Euromonitor International, 5.5% of Brazil's population has used GLP-1 class medicines, exceeding the global average of 3.7%. Given that Brazil's population is about 214 million, it is estimated that about 11.8 million Brazilians have already used related medicines.
In this situation, the backdrop to the growth of the smuggled and unapproved anti-obesity drug market is the large price gap with genuine products. In Brazil, the price for a four-week supply of the lowest 2.5 mg dose of Mounjaro is about $290 (about 400,000 won). By contrast, the Paraguayan anti-obesity drug T.G. can be purchased for about $75 (about 100,000 won) every six weeks. T.G. is legally sold in local pharmacies with approval from Paraguayan health authorities, but it has not been reviewed by Brazilian health authorities.
The problem is safety. Experts including physicians and pharmacists note that injectables, which must be stored at proper temperatures, may be exposed to heat and deteriorate during transport when hidden in motorcycle exhaust pipes or shoe soles. There is also a risk of side effects from using anti-obesity drugs without medical supervision.
According to Brazilian authorities, from 2018 through mid-Aug. this year, 83 deaths and more than 3,600 adverse events related to anti-obesity drugs have been reported. In particular, more than 60% of adverse event reports were concentrated last year and this year. However, authorities are currently investigating the connection between the 83 deaths and anti-obesity drugs. Reuters also said it could not confirm to what extent smuggled or unapproved GLP-1 products contributed to the deaths or adverse events.
Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) emphasizes that anti-obesity drugs should be used under a doctor's prescription and supervision. In particular, the agency urged caution earlier this year, saying reports of acute pancreatitis related to inappropriate use of GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs are increasing.
The Brazilian government is responding by increasing the availability of affordable legal products that can be chosen instead of smuggled goods, thereby reducing demand for illegal anti-obesity drugs. In May, the agency approved Ozivy, a domestically produced Brazilian product that can substitute for Novo Nordisk's Ozempic. Ozivy can be sold for under $100 for a four-week supply.
Agency head Leandro Safatle said it is difficult to control demand for anti-obesity drugs itself, but if consumers can buy safe products regulated by authorities at prices similar to unapproved or smuggled goods, they will naturally choose regulated legal products.