Brazil's GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug market hits R$10 bn, sees surge in illegal shipments

Brazil’s market for GLP‑1 medicines – the injectable “pen” drugs used for diabetes and obesity – grew from about R$1.8 billion in 2021 to roughly R$10 billion in 2025, driven mainly by Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Forxiga. The segment now accounts for about 9 % of pharmaceutical retail sales, with more than 8.9 million units sold, and has spurred a sharp rise in high‑tech drug imports, which jumped from US$1.3 billion in 2000 to US$14.2 billion in 2025.

At the same time, illegal trafficking of these pen drugs has accelerated. Federal police recorded 758 seizures of GLP‑1 products by mid‑2026, surpassing the total seized in 2025. The bulk of interceptions occur in Brazil’s southern state of Paraná and along the Paraguay border, where a single bust in April seized roughly 7,000 ampoules of tirzepatide and cargo worth about R$2 million. Authorities warn that unprescribed use carries serious health risks, and they are monitoring adverse‑event reports that have risen sharply in recent years.