Beware of knock-off Ozempic

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The recent shortage of semaglutide has caused quite a frenzy, with everyone scrambling to get their hands on Ozempic or Wegovy.

In response to this shortage, the FDA allows compounding pharmacies to acquire the main ingredient—semaglutide—without the usual hurdles.

The idea is that these pharmacies can now mix it into a vial to provide it to patients right away, instead of waiting however long for Novo Nordisk to manufacture the usual auto-injector pens used in Ozempic and Wegovy.

The problem is that you can only get semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. But Novo Nordisk isn’t selling it to compounding pharmacies. In fact, they’re not selling semaglutide to anyone.

So how are these pharmacies managing to acquire and sell semaglutide to patients? As it turns out, some pharmacies might just be peddling knock-off versions of semaglutide, available at a fraction of the original cost.

Shortage of Ozempic

The soaring popularity of Ozempic as a weight loss aid, fueled by TikTok and other social media platforms, created a problem for many diabetics who relied on this medication for their condition.

As demand surged, the supply chain was stretched to its limits, resulting in a nationwide scarcity. As a result, the FDA stepped in, and implemented measures to alleviate the strain on supplies and ensure semaglutide reached those who really needed it.

Among the regulatory adjustments made, compounding pharmacies were given more flexibility in the way they can dispense these drugs.

These specialized pharmacies are able to get drugs in their raw form, enabling them to create customized prescriptions for patients.

Normally, drugs are dispensed in predetermined dosages and concentrations imposed by manufacturers. Instead, compounding pharmacies have the freedom to customize prescriptions according to individual needs.

For example, if a patient requires a diabetes medication, but the standard options available are 500 mg and 1000 mg, leaving them with no middle ground. In certain cases, a doctor could turn to a compounding pharmacy and request a custom formulated pill, let’s say at 750 mg. These pharmacies could then create the pill for the patient based on the customized prescription.

In the face of drug shortages, the FDA can put a medication on a drug shortage list. Part of this grants compounding pharmacies greater flexibility to acquire medications in bulk and distribute them to patients.

So, when a shortage of Ozempic occurred, compounding pharmacies would have been permitted to buy semaglutide in bulk and make it available to those in need.

However, a significant roadblock emerged due to semaglutide being a patented compound exclusive to Novo Nordisk. It’s not a generic medication, meaning only Novo Nordisk can supply it.

But rather than supplying it to other compounding pharmacies, Novo Nordisk chose to keep it for themselves, creating a bit of a problem for compounding pharmacies who wanted to dispense semaglutide.

Knock-off semaglutide

Yet, despite technically not being able to get semaglutide from Novo Nordisk, many compounding pharmacies managed to find ways to compound and dispense semaglutide.

This gives rise to the obvious question: Where were they sourcing this drug from? As it turns out, some compounding pharmacies resorted to using an alternative form of semaglutide.

You see, the original forms of semaglutide used in medications like Ozempic and Wegovy utilize the base form of semaglutide—a form extensively studied and deemed effective and safe for its intended purposes in obesity and diabetes.

However, certain compounding pharmacies obtained a different version known as semaglutide acetate or semaglutide sodium—essentially knock-off forms of the compound known as salts.

It’s important to note that these salt versions of semaglutide have not been approved by the FDA for use, nor do we possess any evidence of their effectiveness or safety in treating diabetes or aiding weight loss.

These knock-off semaglutide salts represent cheaper and modified variations of the original semaglutide base, and are primarily intended for scientific research rather than human consumption.

Indeed, reports have emerged of patients using these knock-off semaglutide salts and encountering disappointing results. Users have reported that the salts may be less effective, or not effective at all.

Online weight loss programs

With the proliferation of these knock-off semaglutide salts, another trend emerged—online weight loss programs and weight loss spas that incorporated semaglutide into their offerings.

These programs followed a similar modus operandi:

1. connecting clients with doctors for a brief initial assessment
2. then obtaining semaglutide through an online pharmacy
3. to continue the treatment, individuals would pay a monthly fee ranging from $300 to $500
4. in return, they would receive a monthly supply of semaglutide

However, it became apparent that many of these programs relied on the knock-off versions of semaglutide from compounding pharmacies, rather than utilizing the correct base form of the drug.

How to protect yourself

While I won’t single out any specific companies, there is a telling indicator that suggests you may be receiving the knock-off version: the cost.

Genuine semaglutide carries a hefty price tag, with Ozempic costing nearly $1000 per month and Wegovy costing around $1400 monthly without insurance coverage.

If an online weight loss program is offering you semaglutide at $350 a month, without any insurance coverage, chances are, you’re getting a knock-off.

If a health spa offers to sell you a monthly supply of semaglutide in a vial for $400, chances are, you’re getting a knock-off.

Especially if a weight loss program or spa doesn’t require you to meet with a doctor and obtain a legitimate prescription, but instead tells you to fill out a simple form or attempts to sell it to you outright.

Keep in mind that semaglutide is a prescription drug, which means it necessitates a doctor’s assessment and a valid prescription before you can legally access it.

To further safeguard yourself, there are a few additional measures you can take. One is to exclusively consider state-licensed online pharmacies.

The FDA maintains a comprehensive list of such pharmacies on their official website. By consulting this list, you can verify if the online pharmacy providing you with semaglutide is licensed and reputable.

You can also check to ensure that the online pharmacy in question has a physical address and telephone number within the United States or Canada. This allows you to directly contact them if needed.

A reliable online pharmacy should have a licensed pharmacist on their staff who can readily address any inquiries you may have. You should be able to ask what form of semaglutide is present in your prescription and expect a clear, transparent response.

If it’s too good to be true…

Now I’m not trying to suggest that using these knock-off semaglutide salts will lead to immediate danger or anything of the sort.

All I’m trying to say is that if you ever come across cheap or easily obtainable compounded semaglutide, there’s a chance that it may not be the same as the semaglutide used in Ozempic or Wegovy.

It’s important for you to verify with both the compounding pharmacy and the prescribing doctor that you are indeed receiving the active base form of semaglutide and not one of the less reliable semaglutide salts.

I really find it misleading that some entities sell these semaglutide salts and market them as equivalent to the genuine semaglutide found in Ozempic and Wegovy. And I know I’m not alone in this conviction.

In fact, an increasing number of states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and West Virginia, have expressed their intent to pursue legal action against compounding pharmacies involved in the dispensing of these knock-off versions of Ozempic and Wegovy.

What if I need semaglutide?

So are we doomed to wait until the shortage of semaglutide is resolved before we can access genuine and reliable medication again? Well, it depends on how much of a risk you’re willing to take.

The fundamental issue with compounded semaglutide is the lack of oversight and the inability to verify its ingredients.

The situation becomes even more confusing because Novo Nordisk refuses to sell the legitimate base form of the drug.

So how are compounding pharmacies that are actually using the legit form of semaglutide getting it at all?

One theory suggests that these pharmacies might be purchasing high-dose pens of Wegovy, then diluting them down and repackaging them into smaller doses.

So even if the compounded semaglutide is indeed the legit base form, there’s a possibility that the vial you receive may be overly diluted, thereby reducing its effectiveness.

Additionally, the compounded semaglutide could potentially be blended with other ingredients, such as B vitamins, which may interact with semaglutide in a manner that diminishes its effectiveness or stability.

This makes it challenging to predict the effects or safety of compounded semaglutide when compared to obtaining a prescription for Novo Nordisk’s pen of Ozempic or Wegovy.

At the end of the day, I can understand the allure of having a convenient and inexpensive way to obtain semaglutide, especially for those who may not meet the BMI criteria and simply want to shed a few pounds.

I’m not saying that it won’t work for you at all. I’m not even saying that it’ll definitely be dangerous for you.

However, it’s important to recognize that by opting for these alternative routes, you are taking a risk with your money and health. And if luck happens to be against you, the consequences may be far costlier than if you had just just gotten it legit.

Learn more about

• Ozempic vs Rybelsus vs Saxenda vs Victoza for Weight Loss
• What Forms of Semaglutide are Available?
• What to Expect With Wegovy

See also

• 
  Comparing Weight Loss Drugs in 2024
  Ozempic and Mounjaro are highly effective at treating obesity, however there are many other approved and off-label options that also work.
• 
  Bupropion vs Contrave vs Naltrexone
  Contrave is a synergistic combination of buproprion and naltrexone, which can be replicated to some degree using the generics individually.
• 
  New Obesity Drugs in 2024
  New obesity drugs target more than just GLP-1 and do much more than suppress appetite for a more nuanced approach to weight loss.
• 
  Mounjaro: Who Loses the Most Weight?
  White or Asian younger women who use metformin and have lower sugar and lipid levels tend to experience more weight loss with Mounjaro.
• 
  How does Oforglipron compare?
  Orforglipron, Semaglutide, and Danuglipron are oral GLP-1 agonists that are all similar enough that cost may end up being the winning factor.