At least two Americans have died and three have been hospitalized after taking counterfeit semaglutide, including fake Ozempic, official data shows.

The reports are in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) adverse event reporting system and date from July to September this year.

The two deaths were both in women who suffered from blood clotting throughout the body — medically termed disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Among the patients hospitalized was a 66-year-old woman who suffered from a serizure after injecting herself with the counterfeit drug, another woman who suffered skin discoloration and bruising and a man who suffered a liver disorder.

The system says there have been 28 reports of counterfeit semaglutide, which is the active drug used in Ozempic and Wegovy, in the US since March last year. The drugs have been labeled as Ozempic or Wegovy in some cases.

Both medications have exploded in popularity in the US triggering major shortages of the drugs and pushing many patients into ordering online — raising the risk they may be sold counterfeit, or fake, versions of the drugs.

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The reports were made to the FDA’s FAERS system, which monitors adverse effects of medication. Reports made to the database are not verified and anyone can log an incident.

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Both deaths and two of the hospitalizations from counterfeit semaglutide in the system were made by doctors, who are obligated to report these events.

One of the reported hospitalizations — in the 66-year-old woman — was made by a consumer, which can include a patient, patient family or lawyer.

Deaths can be reported to FAERS by doctors, consumers, manufacturers, family members and others.

Medical documents will not be requested in the initial report, but those submitting one will be asked to give information on the adverse event, the drug they were using, their sex and age and clinical outcome.

Reports are reviewed and constantly monitored by investigators at the FDA to search for medication side effects that may have been missed during clinical trials. They can also be warned to determine whether the public needs to be warned about counterfeit Ozempic.

A spokesman for the FDA said: ‘The FDA will investigate any report of suspect counterfeit Ozempic to determine the public health risks and the appropriate regulatory response.

‘The FDA remains vigilant in protecting the US drug supply from these threats.’