ATLANTA — It’s a popular drug that millions of people are taking to lose weight, but the federal government and doctors are warning users about some versions of the drug Ozempic.
The FDA says improperly compounded versions of the drug can have serious consequences.
Channel 2 Action News went to several weight loss clinics across metro Atlanta that say they are selling the compounded version of the drug.
“I am on the semaglutide, the Ozempic,” said Ivanna Parra.
She said taking the compounded version is a risk she is willing to take to get to her goal weight.
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“It’s been good. I’ve been able to lose 15 pounds,” Parra said.
She is like countless others who have tried dieting and exercising. She said her next best option was to go to a weight loss clinic to get a compounded form of Ozempic.
“I wanted to lose weight,” Parra said.
Pharmacies make compounded Ozempic by combining two or more drugs.
The FDA allows this because Ozempic is in short supply but does not approve the compounded version.
“The problem of buying someone’s randomly compounded Ozempic is that you don’t know the sanitary conditions, and you’re injecting that in your body,” said Shabbir Safdar, executive director of the nonprofit the Partnership for Safe Medicines.
He said there could be issues with the ingredients the compounding pharmacies use.
“FDA has warned a number of compounding pharmacies are actually doing compounding with starting ingredients that are not approved,” Safdar said.
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The FDA said it received reports some compounders are using salt forms of the drug which are different from the FDA-approved drug.
“We’re actually seeing Americans going into hypoglycemic shock in some cases, going into comas,” Safdar said.
We sent a Channel 2 Action News producer to four different metro Atlanta weight loss clinics to see if they offered the compounded drug.
“So, you guys actually have Ozempic?” the producer asked the woman at the front desk of a weight loss clinic in Douglasville.
“Yeah, it’s Ozempic, it’s just the compounded version,” the worker said. “We just put four of these in a Ziplock baggie, write the lot number on it, your name, and send you on your way.”
“OK, oh wow. OK, so, like, it doesn’t even say, like, Ozempic,” the producer said.
Our producer had a similar experience at a weight loss center in Fayetteville.
“Is that what you have the compound Ozempic?” our producer asked a worker.
The worker nodded yes.
“OK, and then is that FDA approved and everything?” the producer asked.
The worker nodded yes.
“OK, it is,” our producer said.
Channel 2 Action News contacted all four clinics for comment on this story, but only First Doctors Weight Loss responded:
“Every source for our medication is fully licensed by the state of Georgia and complies with the state pharmacy laws. And further First Doctors Weight Loss goes beyond our requirements by having an outside independent lab certify the purity of every one of our medications before any are dispensed.”
“Well, it can be done safely. It is not the recommended route,” Safdar said.
The FDA said salt forms of the drug don’t meet the criteria of compounding. If you use an online pharmacy the FDA said you can verify that it is legitimate by CLICKING HERE.
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