New Jersey Congressman Herb Conaway recently sounded the alarm about the surge of illegal and counterfeit GLP-1 ingredients used for weight-loss drugs from entering the U.S.

These ingredients are manufactured in facilities without FDA oversight or quality controls. Some contain dangerous contaminants or bacterial impurities. And when consumers attempt to reconstitute these ingredients at home, they risk not only incorrect dosing that can lead to extreme illness but also infections and other severe side effects. Indeed, there have been more than 100 hospitalizations and 17 deaths associated with unregulated GLP-1s.

As a registered nurse, I know first-hand that medical professionals advise patients to only take medicine prescribed by a doctor and received at a trusted pharmacy. But that advice can only go so far when insidious sellers have infiltrated the supply chain with the promise of low-cost treatments.

The response to this, at the state and federal level, must change. I applaud Congressman for leading the charge in the House to urge the FDA to use its existing statutory authority to ramp up enforcement over illegally imported GLP-1 ingredients and counterfeit prescription drugs including AOMs. I hope Governor Murphy and State Attorney Matthew Platkin join this fight to protect New Jerseyans and shut down this underground market that is costing lives.

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Jean Alan Bestafka, RN, is the former president of the New Jersey Home Health Services Association. She resides in Manchester, NJ.