A woman from Hvidovre, Denmark, has been sentenced to seven months in prison for fraud related to subsidies for the diabetes medication Ozempic. Five of the seven months have been suspended, according to the Copenhagen West Police (Københavns Vestegns Politi). This ruling signifies a stricter stance on the misuse of public funds and underscores the importance of correct management of medication.
Special prosecutor Christina Walbom emphasized that the sentence sends a clear message that the abuse of medication subsidies will be severely punished, and that prescription medication must remain within the legal distribution system. The 56-year-old woman had received a total of 331,763 Danish kroner (approximately $47,000) in subsidies for Ozempic, which is also used for weight loss. She was accused of illegally transferring the medication to other individuals.
Earlier this year, the Capital Region of Denmark (Region Hovedstaden) reported irregularities to both the woman’s doctor and the police. When the case was presented in the Glostrup Court (Retten i Glostrup), the woman claimed she used more medication than necessary out of fear of weight gain, but denied the fraud allegations.
However, the prosecution was able to demonstrate that the woman had redeemed prescriptions equivalent to over eight years’ worth of Ozempic, and that messages and money transfers to two friends indicated the resale of the medication. The woman maintained that the communication and transfers were related to other matters.
This case adds to a series of instances in which individuals have been caught committing fraud related to medication subsidies, particularly concerning Ozempic. The ruling is part of a broader effort against the fraud of public funds.