Lai S. Reyes

One in eight people worldwide is now living with obesity — and the consequences stretch far beyond the bathroom scale. Around 90 percent of type 2 diabetes cases are attributable to excess body weight, making the two conditions almost inseparable. Since 1990, adult obesity rates have more than doubled, and childhood obesity has quadrupled. In the US, obesity rose 23 percent between 2011 and 2023, with diabetes climbing 21 percent over the same period.

A few clicks, a discounted vial, no prescription required. As demand surges for the new generation of weight-loss and diabetes drugs — particularly dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists hailed as breakthrough treatments — a dangerous parallel market has quietly exploded online. Illegally compounded and counterfeit versions are now being sold directly to consumers, bypassing doctors, regulators, and basic safety checks.