Leticia Carrillo says she has tried everything to lose weight.
“I’ve tried a lot of diets. I get bored of it. I just get bored of it,” said Carillo, who also had tummy tucks, liposuction and tried fasting.
Carrillo says the weight didn’t stick until she was prescribed semiglutide, a type of medication that suppresses appetite and promotes weight loss. Popular brands include Ozempic, Wegobee and Maunjaro.
“The first week I did this, I lost eight pounds right away,” Carillo told NBC Chicago.
She had been getting her medication from a nurse, but demand for injectable weight-loss drugs is already outstripping supply, with many people buying them online.
Dr. Al Carter said, American Association of Pharmacists. He said NABP has identified more than 400 new illegal pharmacies operating online, and that 95 percent of online pharmacies are operating illegally.
“I would say 90 percent or 99 percent of the cases where this drug is obtained without a prescription are probably not what it is,” Dr. Carter says. And that’s what worries him most.
It’s widely known that there are shortages of at least two types of weight-loss drugs, which is why many online pharmacies claim to offer FDA-approved weight-loss drugs but may actually be selling compounded versions of drugs that aren’t FDA-approved, Dr. Carter said.
“We don’t know how this drug is compounded. There are both federal and state requirements when it comes to compounding drugs, and they have to be compounded in a sterile environment to make sure there are no impurities,” Carter said.
A matter of life and death
In 2012, a New England pharmacy Caused an outbreak of meningitis The explosion killed 64 people across the country and seriously injured more than 800. Authorities discovered that the lab-produced steroid drug was contaminated.
Carter says the same concerns apply to medi-spas and rehydration clinics that offer IV therapy.
Influencer Bea Ama was hospitalized with a severe bacterial infection after receiving a vitamin and fat-burning combination injection at a California medical spa in 2021.
“The area where the injection was given turned into a hard little ball,” Ama said.
In July 2023, a Texas woman died while receiving a high-electrolyte infusion at a Texas medi-spa. As reported by NBC NewsAn autopsy did not determine that IV therapy was the cause of her death.
The Texas Medical Board suspended the medical director’s license for failing to properly supervise unlicensed personnel administering IV treatments.
Key Takeaways
- The American Association of Pharmacists recommends that, if possible, people get weight loss medications directly from their doctor rather than from an online pharmacy or medi-spa.
- If buying online: Visit the NABP website to see if the pharmacy is registered with your state. Safe Pharmacy.
- Be sure to ask where the medication comes from: The FDA says patients shouldn’t use compounded drugs if an approved medication is available.
