GLP-1 drugs spiked in popularity and price over the past few years, leaving the door open for illegal pharmacies to try and sell cheaper counterfeit versions.

Intuitively, it would seem that GLP-1 use for obesity would reduce overall medical costs despite the increase in drug spending. But thus far, the data don’t show this.

These drugs, called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), work in several different ways to help people lose weight, gain control over their blood sugar levels, and improve their heart health, a new study published in the journal Cureus says.

GLP-1 drugs spiked in popularity and price over the past few years, leaving the door open for illegal pharmacies to try and sell cheaper counterfeit versions.