Done Global offers rebuttal; WHO issues global alert over fake Ozempic drugs; Lead and chromium for breakfast? – Morning Medical Update

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Statement of rebuttal from Done Global

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of Ruthia He, the founder and CEO of digital health company Done Global Inc., based on allegations involving a $100 million health care fraud scheme involving telemedicine and Adderall prescriptions.

A spokeswoman for Done Global sent this statement to Medical Economics: "Done Global strongly disagrees with the criminal charges filed last week against our founder, Ruthia He, and Dr. David Brody, which are based on events that principally occurred between February 2020 and January 2023. Since our founding, Done Global has worked to make mental health care accessible for tens of thousands of Americans trapped in a spiraling national crisis. Done Global will continue to operate – and do everything in our power to ensure that tens of thousands of Americans that rely on us do not lose access to their mental health care. At the same time, we will continue to support our clinicians as they exercise independent clinical judgment, practice evidence-based medicine, and provide best-in-class health care."

Done Global posted more information online.

WHO issues global alert over fake Ozempic drugs

Ozempic, a treatment for type-2 diabetes, has become a frequent topic of health care news, as people without diabetes have been using it as a weight-loss medication. The active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, helps people with type-2 diabetes control the amount of sugar in their blood, and signals to the brain when a person is full, but shortages of the treatment have led to fake Ozempic drugs being sold.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has now issued a global alert about fake Ozempic, as the fake medications could be dangerous to one’s health. The organization recommended people source the drug only through doctors rather than through social media.

Find out more about the potential threat of fake Ozempic drugs here.

Lead and chromium for breakfast?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is furthering its investigation of lead and chromium that was found in apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches this past fall at nationwide Dollar Tree Inc.’s. The FDA is issuing a warning letter to the storefront after failing to remove recalled WanaBana pouches from shelves, wanting to explore prevention, compliance, and surveillance activities going forward.

Along with these new goals, the FDA is also continuing oversight of foreign firms and imported foods through methods such as increased and more targeted import screening.