No such thing as ‘oral Wegovy’: Authorities warn against fake weight-loss products in Korea
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Korea’s food and drug regulator has warned consumers to beware of fraudulent online ads promoting so-called “oral Wegovy” pills, after cracking down on companies that used influencers to sell unapproved weight loss products.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Wednesday that it referred five company heads to prosecutors for violating the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Food. The companies are accused of misleading consumers by marketing ordinary food products as if they had powerful obesity treatment effects.
Influencers used to boost fake claims
According to the investigation, the companies recruited social media influencers on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram to create promotional videos for fruit and vegetable-based products, presenting them as if they had “weight loss effects” and “appetite-suppressing benefits.”
These influencers were reportedly instructed to use specific keywords — including “oral Wegovy,” “7 kg weight loss in a month” and “powerful appetite suppression” — to make their videos appear like personal testimonials. Viewers were then directed to linked shopping sites where the products were sold.
From January 2024 to June this year, the five companies earned a total of 32.4 billion won ($24.3 million) through these deceptive sales, according to the ministry.
‘Oral Wegovy’ does not exist
Wegovy, developed by Novo Nordisk, is an injectable medication used to treat obesity. However, no approved oral form of Wegovy currently exists. Officials stressed that any advertisement promoting “oral Wegovy” products is false and illegal.
“Consumers should be especially cautious when purchasing health-related products online and avoid being misled by exaggerated or unverified claims,” the ministry said. “For dietary supplements and functional foods, it is important to check whether the product’s effects have been officially recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety via the Food Safety Korea website.”
Consumer warning
Authorities also reminded consumers that while individuals can post personal reviews of products on social media, it is illegal for businesses to disguise paid promotions or make false medical claims for commercial purposes.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.