Brazil weight-loss drug imports surge 85% amid smuggling rise

Brazil is experiencing a significant surge in the importation and smuggling of weight-loss medications, specifically GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide. Official data shows that imports of these medications grew by 85% in the first seven months of 2026, reaching a value of US$ 1.512 billion.

Parallel to the legal market growth, authorities have reported a three-fold increase in the seizure of smuggled weight-loss pens in Paraná, often entering through the border with Paraguay. In Foz do Iguaçu alone, over 76,000 units were seized.

The Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) has issued a formal alert to physicians, stating it is ethically and legally prohibited to prescribe or facilitate access to medications that lack valid Anvisa registration or proper sanitary documentation. The council warned that doctors who assist in the acquisition of unauthorized foreign products or unverified compounded formulations could face disciplinary actions ranging from warnings to the revocation of their professional licenses.

Medical experts also highlighted emerging health concerns, such as “agonorexia”—a term describing drug-induced anorexia where users lose all sense of hunger—as well as risks of malnutrition and muscle loss.