Spanish
The General Directorate of Medicines, Food and Sanitary Products (DIGEMAPS) urged the population to refrain from consuming unapproved medications intended for weight loss, especially those acquired in unauthorized establishments or promoted through social media.
The institution warned about the use of drugs belonging to the class of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1), including semaglutide, tirzepatide, and retatrutide. In particular, it highlighted that the product retatrutide has not been approved by regulatory authorities and is currently in phase III clinical trials, without the approval of international regulatory bodies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
DIGEMAPS emphasized that the use of unauthorized medications can cause serious adverse effects that pose a risk to life.
Furthermore, he explained that GLP-1 medications are a class of treatments that mimic the natural hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels and appetite, which has increased their popularity in the treatment of obesity, but also their misuse.
The entity assured that it is taking the necessary measures to ensure that the products available on the market meet the required quality and safety standards.
In that sense, he urged the population to report any suspicion of adverse reactions through the phones (809) 541-3121 extensions 6681 and 6682, or by email farmacovigilancia@digemaps.gob.do.
Similarly, he called on professionals and health centers to report any adverse reactions to medications through the portal www.notificacentroamerica.net, with the aim of strengthening health surveillance mechanisms.
