Cheaper alternatives to Ozempic are flooding the weight-loss market. Are they safe?

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As consumers seeking to lose weight face Ozempic shortages, many are turning to a booming, less regulated market for compounded versions of the drug.

When Tina Jacobson tried to get Ozempic to lose weight, her health insurance provider denied coverage because she was not diabetic. Instead of paying more than $1,000 out of pocket for the Type 2 diabetes drug, which lowers blood sugar levels and suppresses appetite, the Florida real estate agent turned to a clinic that prescribed her a cheaper alternative. The compounded version, made by a specialized pharmacy using semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic — cost $350 a month.

The agency has issued warning letters to stop the distribution of illegally marketed semaglutide, saying the drugs 'may be counterfeit, which means they could contain the wrong ingredients, contain too little, too much or no active ingredient at all, or contain other harmful ingredients.' In July, it said that it had received reports of dosing errors with compounded semaglutide injectable products, some of which landed patients in the hospital.

 

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Ozempic And Wegovy Rivals: Here Are The Companies Working On Competitor Weight Loss DrugsRobert Hart is a senior reporter for Forbes covering science, technology and health with a frequent focus on artificial intelligence, space, weight loss drugs and emerging technologies. He joined Forbes in 2020 and is based in London. Rob has covered everything from the billionaire space race, the health impacts of overturning Roe v.
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