What to Know Before Buying Weight Loss Drugs Online
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Approximately 25% of Americans taking GLP-1 obesity drugs obtain them from online providers, medical spas, or aesthetic centers rather than from licensed doctors.
- Many of these outlets sell compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs, which are pharmacy-made copycats that alter or mix drug ingredients, often at a lower cost but with less regulatory oversight.
- Hims & Hers briefly sold a compounded version of the Wegovy pill at a reduced price but withdrew it after federal regulators raised concerns, highlighting the trade-off between affordability and drug safety.
- Federal law permits compounding primarily during drug shortages or for special formulations, but the FDA states GLP-1 shortages have ended, and many compounded versions are criticized as superficial tweaks rather than
