Integrated versions of Ozempic are available all over the internet. Doctors are worried
We live in an Ozempic era.
Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey say it. People use it in microdosing. And, amid a national shortage of essential drug ingredients, many have turned to compounded versions, sometimes receiving online orders within hours.
The distribution of weight-loss drugs – especially over the phone and the Internet – is still controversial, and it is increasing as the world embraces weight-loss drugs. For some, especially those without insurance or unable to afford traditional products like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, these cheaper, non-FDA-approved versions are a way of life.
For some, however, availability has led to abuse.
Dr. Alexandra Sowa, an obesity medicine specialist and founder of SoWell, says: “We have someone who wants to prescribe this medicine now, because it has changed so much.” “Not all pharmacies are created equal. I love compounding pharmacies. I’ll tell you, I think they’re great. This medicine, in particular, is very difficult, and I think people many are jumping on the Ozempic craze, and I don’t think all drugs are up to par.”
Microdosing Ozempic:Ozempic is so popular people try to ‘microdose’ it. Is that a bad idea?
For those who cannot afford Ozempic, compounded drugs are a way of life
Jasmine Martin has long struggled with weight. Shortly after his father died of Type 2 diabetes in June 2022, Martin heard from a friend about weight loss drugs. She called the telehealth company that day and got an appointment.
After making a Zoom call to a licensed physician in his state, where he shared his medical history, Martin received a prescription for a combination drug containing tirzepatide – an active ingredient available Loaded and Zepbound. Martin has lost about 80 pounds since then and continues to take medication. He now also works with the telehealth service Mochi Health, which pays him to write social media about the company.
“This drug has changed the lives of many of us,” says Martin. “I went from being overweight to a healthy weight. I used to take blood pressure medication, and now I don’t. I went from 222 kilograms to 140 kilograms.”
Also:Oprah Winfrey’s revelation about using weight loss drugs is a game changer. Here is the reason.
The explosion of interest in weight loss medications in the past few years has shaken the medical and pharmaceutical landscape. Everywhere people are crying for these drugs, and, sometimes, not only to lose weight. A central study released in July, for example, found that weight-loss drugs can slow cognitive decline. Researchers have also found that it can help with nicotine cravings and heart disease.
All of this has led to drug shortages − and the opportunity for compounding pharmacies to intervene.
When there is a shortage of FDA-approved, brand-name drugs — such as the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy — the FDA says it allows compounders to make other drugs that are “copycats” of a brand-name drug with the same active ingredient – usually semaglutide or tirzepatide, which suppresses appetite. These compounding drugs are often regulated by state drug boards and source materials from FDA-registered facilities, but the agency does not guarantee their drug’s safety, efficacy or quality.
Are they safe?Weight loss drugs sold online offer alternatives to Ozempic, Wegovy
However, for many, compounded medicine is their only option.
Martin says it was a saving grace, especially when he didn’t have health insurance. If he were to take a brand-name drug, he says he would have to pay $1,000-$1,200 a month. The compounded drug he uses only costs a few hundred, without insurance.
Although the FDA removed tirzepatide from its shortage list earlier this month, Martin remains optimistic that the weight-loss drug will remain available as doctors continue to prescribe it.
“Everybody’s afraid that compounded medicine is going to end, but compounded medicine has been around for a long time,” he says. “It’s just going to change.”
Ozempic is all over the internet. Doctors say it’s ‘wild west’
The ease and availability of compounded medicine, especially through telehealth, has been a double-edged sword, with some network providers screening patients more thoroughly than others. Some require a phone or video consultation with a provider, but, for others, getting a GLP-1 prescription online doesn’t always require proof of body mass index or lab tests.
Scott Brunner, CEO of the Alliance of Pharmacy Compounding, says the issue is not about compounded drugs, but the companies that distribute them irresponsibly. “I read in the media and stories about other telehealth platforms that may not be spending the necessary time with the patient,” he says. “There may not be a proper patient-doctor relationship, and I believe that’s evil.”
What is ‘Ozempic face’?What we are talking about is the effects of weight loss.
Doctors believe that problems arise mainly because doctors are not responsible rather than the drugs themselves. Dr. Britta Reierson, a board-certified family physician and obesity medicine specialist at health care company Knownwell, says she’s seen many people turn to traditional methods to find weight-loss medications, such as which can cause serious problems.
He says: “Even if I’m friends, I have friends who (say) they found a ‘fat drug’ on the website, and I’m still talking inside. “I’m still feeling inside to know that A, I know that they are not taking it for the right reasons, and B, this may not be safe for them.”
He says that in some cases, online providers do not provide enough instructions for people about how to take the drugs themselves. Earlier this year, the FDA issued a warning about dosing errors leading to “serious adverse events, some requiring hospitalization.”
“They look online on YouTube and say, ‘How do I do this?’ Reierson says. “It is not under the guidance of a medical professional, which can certainly result in many side effects.”
Who gets Ozempic?People with private insurance and many health plans, research shows
Although Martin says his phone experience has been positive, he understands it’s a controversial way to go down. He encourages people who are interested in it to do serious research and make sure that they always consult a doctor.
“A lot of people will just give you medicine, and you never talk to the doctor. They don’t tell you how to take it. They don’t tell you what to expect,” he says. “You should get medical advice from a doctor, not just from your favorite news producer.”
Contributor: Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY
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