The Dangers of Buying GLP-1 Medications Online Without Seeing a Doctor

  As demand grows for GLP-1 weight loss medications, so does the number of people seeking shortcuts for obtaining them. Because most people are used to shopping online, consumers expect to be able to order anything directly from a business’s website. After all, the reasoning goes, “I want to lose weight, and I know that GLP-1 medications will let me do that. So I should be able to buy them without seeing a doctor. Besides, I can get them much cheaper online!”

However, there is a dangerous trade-off involved: Valuing convenience and what seems to be a bargain over safety. Dealing directly with websites selling semaglutide (which belongs to the GLP-1 RAs class of drugs) puts consumers at serious risk of health complications and even death resulting from counterfeit products. Consumer fraud is another risk, as such companies may take your money, but not deliver the medication.

Most of these online “pharmacies” are illegal, flying under the radar of understaffed, overwhelmed regulatory agencies. Anyone who buys from this type of shady operation might pay the ultimate price – their own life!

Mother Almost Dies From Counterfeit Semaglutide Bought Online

Michelle Sword, a 45-year-old woman in Oxfordshire, England, ordered a weight-loss pen online that was advertised as containing semaglutide. About 15 minutes after injecting herself, Sword began feeling confused and disoriented, then lost consciousness. Fortunately, her daughter was with her at the time. Had she not been there and called 999 (the UK’s equivalent of 911), Sword would have died. Instead of semaglutide, the injection pen contained pure insulin. Emergency room doctors who treated her said they had never before seen a patient with such a low blood sugar level survive.

There is much more to Sword’s harrowing experience, as the effort to save her life was prolonged and touch-and-go at times. After making a complete recovery, she has gone public with her near-death experience to warn the public against purchasing weight-loss medications online. If interested, you can read her full story by clicking here. If you are considering buying semaglutide online, we strongly recommend you take the time to read the details of Sword’s ordeal – then reconsider.

A Formal Study Reveals Counterfeit Ingredients and Fraud in Online Semaglutide Purchases

An extensive study focusing on illegal online pharmacies published its findings in JAMA Network in August, 2024. The issue the study set out to address was summarized as follows:

“The popularity of branded semaglutide is surging, with widespread media coverage, viral social media exposure, and celebrity endorsements. Although Wegovy (Novo Nordisk) is approved for long-term weight management, Ozempic (Novo Nordisk) (only approved for type 2 diabetes) is often used off-label for this purpose. Global regulatory agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency, and World Health Organization (WHO), have warned about fake versions driven by patient demand, high cost, and shortages. Illegal online pharmacies, which operate without valid licenses and sell medicines like semaglutide without prescription, represent a consumer risk for ineffective and dangerous products.”

This study is written in academic language, which can be dry and off-putting. We’ll break it down in plain language, so you’ll quickly get the message.

How they did it – The study group searched Google and Bing to find websites advertising semaglutide without a prescription. Two prefilled pens were then ordered. Upon delivery, the products were tested for quality – including sterility and microbiological contamination. The group used guidelines set by official US and European pharmacology standards to determine the quality of products received.

What they found – Out of the online pharmacies the group found via Google and Bing, almost one-half were illegal. “Upon quality testing, one sample had elevated presence of endotoxin … indicating possible contamination, although no viable microorganisms were detected. [Another type of test] revealed the presence of semaglutide in all samples, but with considerably lower purity levels [than advertised]. The measured semaglutide content substantially exceeded the labeled amount in each sample by 29% to 39%, meaning that users could receive up to 39% more semaglutide per injection. These risk factors indicate likely falsification that does not meet legitimate product quality standards.”

According to the FDA, overdosing on semaglutide can cause severe nausea and vomiting, as well as dangerous drops in blood sugar levels.

Other products were found to have “clear discrepancies in regulatory registration information, accurate labeling, and evidence products were likely unregistered or unlicensed.”

Moreover, of six products purchased, only three were received. “Three vendors selling Ozempic injections engaged in nondelivery scams requesting extra payments … to purportedly clear customs, [which was] confirmed as fraudulent by customs agencies.”

Conclusion – The study found that “semaglutide products are actively being sold without prescription by illegal online pharmacies, with vendors shipping unregistered and falsified products. Two websites evaluated were sent FDA warning letters for unlawful sale of unapproved and misbranded semaglutide.”

Unfortunately, as the study also revealed, the “business” of these illegal online pharmacies has real-life consequences.

“US poison centers have reported a 1500% increase in calls related to semaglutide, highlighting the need for enhanced pharmacovigilance including for online sourcing harms.”

Put in even plainer language, buyer beware!

Why You Need a Doctor Specializing in Medical Weight Loss to Prescribe GLP-1 Medications

Medical weight loss is not a DIY project that starts with a purchase from an online “pharmacy” that ships GLP-1 medications of sketchy origins and uncertain purity – assuming it sends you anything at all for your money. Considering what you might receive, it would be better if you were only out the amount you paid. At least your life wouldn’t be in danger!

Keep in mind that GLP-1 medications require a doctor’s prescription to be dispensed legally. They are not the same as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, which are sold on store shelves. A prescription drug is prescribed for and intended for use by only one person. The safety of a prescription drug bought from any source without a prescription cannot be guaranteed.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth companies that provide prescriptions for GLP-1 weight loss medications without requiring an in-person appointment with a physician occupy a sketchy middle ground. These companies are heavily advertised on TV and online, giving them high name recognition – and giving consumers the impression that they follow ethical standards. 

As we covered in our blog post – “Why You Shouldn’t Order GLP-1 Medications Online” – such companies may offer an online consultation with a doctor, but the doctor is affiliated with the company. If you can choose the doctor for your video conference, you’ll only be able to choose from those within its network. Some companies let you skip even this step, allowing you to order GLP-1 medications (as well as any other medications the company offers) simply by answering a brief questionnaire and/or filling out a form.

Although DTC telehealth companies promote themselves as being consumer-friendly, an eye-opening report by Natasha Singer and Katie Thomas in The New York Times – Drug Sites Upend Doctor-Patient Relations: ‘It’s Restaurant-Menu Medicine’ – reveals otherwise.

“The sites invert the usual practice of medicine by turning the act of prescribing drugs into a service. Instead of doctors making diagnoses and then suggesting treatments, patients request drugs and physicians serve largely as gatekeepers.

“Some of these companies operate in a regulatory vacuum that could increase public health risks … And federal and state health laws, written to ensure competent medical care and drug safety, have not kept pace with online services …”

To this point, most people don’t know that there is no single federal or state agency in charge of overseeing DTC services. These companies describe themselves as tech platforms, not health providers – giving them a legal excuse to avoid responsibility should you experience an adverse reaction or bad outcome. Protection for consumers is minimal or non-existent. 

Medical weight loss treatment is, after all, medical treatment that needs to be in the hands of an experienced, licensed physician. William E. Newsome, M.D., is Medical Director and co-owner of Solutions Weight Loss. Instead of filling out an online form, you’ll have an in-person consultation with Dr. Newsome. During your first appointment, he will measure your body mass index (BMI), take your vital signs (body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure) and talk with you about your medical history to learn about any health conditions you’ve had or currently have.

During this appointment, Dr. Newsome will also have an in-depth conversation with you about your weight loss goals. If you feel frustrated by the lack of results and setbacks from previous weight loss programs you’ve tried, Dr. Newsome has been where you are – and knows that losing excess weight is a difficult and emotional process.

Based upon your consultation, Dr. Newsome will evaluate and prescribe for you the best GLP-1 medication treatment plan to achieve your goals. We offer high-quality, safe and affordable, compounded GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide – which you probably know under brand names like Wegovy®, Ozempic®, Zepbound®, or Mounjaro®. Research shows that when combined with one-on-one physician coaching, low-calorie diet and lifestyle changes, they are the safest and most effective approach to achieve sustainable weight loss.

Because we prescribe, compound and dispense these medications, shortages of the brand-name drugs that often occur will never affect your access. In fact, you can leave our office with your medication the same day – offering you both confidence in the quality of your GLP-1 medication AND convenience! Moreover, we understand that people have busy schedules that may not allow them to visit our office on a weekly basis. That’s why we can dispense up to 12 weeks of your weight loss medication at a time. 

We know that the doctor-patient relationship is essential to successful, sustainable weight loss. Dr. Newsome and our entire Solutions Weight Loss team are with you on every step of your medical weight loss journey! You’ll never feel that you’re on your own. You will know us, and we will know you – which allows us to give you the individual help and advice you need!

Our Proven Track Record in Getting Results for Our Patients

Solutions Weight Loss internal results prove our medically supervised program is effective at driving long-term improvements to metabolic health and weight loss, with an average of 21% weight loss at 12 months; 19.1% at 18 months, and 18.9% at 24 months. Our members have also decreased their waist circumference by 7 inches, on average. These results are superior to the weight loss seen in clinical trials for GLP-1 medications. Regardless of which medication they take, our members have demonstrated significant and sustained results!

Your weight loss goals – and your health – are too important to be left to a DTC telehealth company. A medical weight loss treatment plan provided and supervised by Dr. Newsome can help you achieve success in a safe, proven way, making sure you have all the support you need.

See what makes Solutions Weight Loss the #1 weight loss clinic in Florida! Schedule your consultation with Dr. Newsome here, or call 407-413-5503, and experience the benefits of today’s metabolic approach to sustainable weight loss! Don’t wait another day to start living your best life!

Why Excessive Exercise Can Make it Difficult to Follow a Diet

Many people who start a weight loss program incorporate exercise in the reasonable belief that exercise increases their rate of metabolism, thereby burning off more calories – and burning them off faster. However, it’s common for those seeking to lose a significant amount of weight to suddenly go from sedentary to the other extreme, throwing themselves full on into an intensive workout regimen.

Unfortunately, this approach is doomed to failure. Excessive exercise actually hinders weight loss because it can lead to increased hunger, hormonal imbalances such as high cortisol levels, and a potential adaptation where your body becomes more efficient at burning calories – thereby making it harder to create a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss. Our blog post – “What is a Calorie Deficit?” – explains this weight loss method in detail.

Essentially, your body may start to conserve energy by slowing down your metabolism when pushed too hard with exercise without a balanced diet or medical weight loss treatment to support it.

Reasons Why Too Much Exercise Can Hinder Weight Loss

Increased appetite:

Strenuous workouts can trigger hunger hormones, causing you to eat more than you burn, thus negating the calorie deficit needed for weight loss. 

Stress hormone elevation (cortisol):

Overtraining can lead to high cortisol levels, which can promote fat storage and hinder fat burning. 

Metabolic adaptation:

Your body can adapt to intense exercise by becoming more efficient at using energy, meaning you may burn fewer calories during workouts over time. 

Muscle gain:

While building muscle is generally beneficial, if you are not adjusting your calorie intake accordingly, significant muscle gain can lead to a higher overall weight even if body fat percentage decreases. 

Overtraining injuries:

Pushing yourself too hard can lead to injuries that may prevent you from exercising consistently, impacting your weight loss efforts.

How Evolution Works Against Us in Exercising to Lose Weight

Humans have developed and adapted over the eons to survive long periods of time without food. After all, our early ancestors weren’t always successful in their hunting-gathering efforts. Evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer, PhD – author of the bestselling book, Burn – makes the case that human metabolism evolved over millions of years to defend against weight loss. As a result, the calories we burn every day stay within a fairly narrow range, whether we hit the gym every day or stay put on the couch.

Here are the words of Dr. Pontzer himself, from the Colloquy podcast hosted by Paul Massari:

“The simple answer, if it’s a simple answer, is that, for a half a billion years of evolution in animals, losing weight’s been a really bad sign … If you’re losing weight, your economics are not sustainable … You’re not bringing in enough to cover your expenses, and that pathway leads to death. And so, your body is built to be really good about defending its body weight. It doesn’t want to change weight very easily.

“And if it’s going to make a mistake one direction or the other, it surely doesn’t want to lose weight. And so, your body works really hard to never lose weight. And if you do lose it, to sort of get back to where you were before. So, the word ‘set point’ gets thrown around, I think, too much. I think maybe that’s too much stock that gets put into that as some sort of a hard-wired set point, but your body does seem to want to keep itself at its current weight.”

Dr. Pontzer had the rare opportunity to put this to the test. In the years 2009 and 2010, he and a group of colleagues spent time with the Hadza – a traditional hunter-gatherer community in northern Tanzania. Although assuming that the Hadza people would burn more calories than Americans thanks to their very physically active way of life, he was surprised to learn that such was not the case.

“And in fact, when you account for things like body size, fat percentage, age, no matter how you want to sort of slice it, there’s actually no difference at all in daily energy expenditure between Hadza men and women and adults in the US and in Europe and other industrialized populations. So, a total shock. They are 5 to 10 times more physically active, but there is no discernible difference in the total calories burned per day.

“It’s just more evidence that exercise alone is a pretty poor tool for weight loss. If you absolutely push it as hard as you can for as long as you can, you might see some weight loss, at least initially until your body kind of rights the ship. But the long-term expected weight loss from exercise alone is something like 2 kilograms. Right? Less than five pounds.”

Moderation is the Key to a Successful Exercise Program

The take-home message is that overdoing any exercise routine is counterproductive if weight loss is your goal. As mentioned earlier, pushing yourself too much can result in injury or a medical emergency. Here is a basic guideline to following a beneficial exercise program:

Consult a professional – Meet with a certified trainer or nutritionist to develop a personalized exercise plan that aligns with your weight loss goals. 

Find a balance – Aim for a moderate exercise routine that includes both cardio and strength training, while ensuring you are eating a healthy diet to maintain a calorie deficit. While we’ve quoted Dr. Pontzer extensively, here is an observation by our own William E. Newsome, M.D., Medical Director and co-owner of Solutions Weight Loss.

“Intense exercise increases hunger, and most of the time people compensate by eating more calories which eliminates the calorie deficit. It’s easier to lose weight by simply eating less calories and casually walking 5,000-10,000 steps daily.”

Listen to your body – Pay attention to signs of overtraining like fatigue, decreased performance, and muscle soreness, and adjust your workout intensity or duration accordingly.

Exercise and Diet Need to Work Together

Going back to the Hadza community, even though their high level of physical activity doesn’t burn any more calories than the typical industrialized society couch potato, Dr. Pontzer notes that its members are free of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. But working out as a way of life rather than a lifestyle doesn’t completely account for their excellent health. The Hadza community members aren’t doing their hunting and gathering at fast food eateries or supermarkets to fill their shopping carts with highly processed foods. Diet (as opposed to dieting) makes a big difference!

How a Supervised Medical Weight Loss Program Can Help Your Achieve Your Goals

Being aware of the calories you consume on a daily basis, the types of foods you eat and the amount of exercise you get will put you in the right mindset to succeed on a weight loss program. But if you’ve already tried specific types of diet plans and programs without long-term results, do not think that you’re destined to fail in your weight loss goals! Medical appetite control could be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Medical weight loss medications can treat those living with overweight and obesity by controlling your appetite – thereby making it possible to follow a low-calorie diet without constant feelings of gnawing hunger! Solutions Weight Loss provides today’s most advanced weight loss medications under the guidance of Dr. Newsome. From the very start of your medical weight loss journey with us, Dr. Newsome conducts your in-depth initial consultation, and will evaluate and prescribe for you the best treatment to achieve your goals. He brings his own personal weight loss experiences, and a lifelong dedication to health and fitness.

As we say at Solutions Weight Loss, the future of weight loss is here! We offer high-quality, safe and affordable, compounded GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide – which you probably know under brand names like Wegovy®, Ozempic®, Zepbound®, or Mounjaro®.  Research shows that when combined with one-on-one physician coaching, low-calorie diet and lifestyle changes, they are the safest and most effective approach to achieve sustainable weight loss.

Because we prescribe, compound and dispense these medications, shortages of the brand-name drugs will never affect your access. In fact, you can leave our office with your medication the same day! Moreover, we understand that people have busy schedules that may not allow them to visit our office on a weekly basis. That’s why we can dispense up to 12 weeks of your weight loss medication at a time. 

One foundation of our practice is the importance of the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Newsome and our entire Solutions Weight Loss team are with you on every step of your medical weight loss journey! You’ll never feel that you’re on your own, or have to deal with an impersonal online chat or text with whoever is working at a telehealth service at the time when you happen to have a question. You will know us, and we will know you – which allows us to give you the individual help and advice you need!

Solutions Weight Loss internal results prove our program is effective at driving long-term improvements to metabolic health and weight loss, with an average of 21% weight loss at 12 months; 19.1% at 18 months, and 18.9% at 24 months. Our members have also decreased their waist circumference by 7 inches, on average. These results are superior to the weight loss seen in clinical trials for GLP-1 medications. Regardless of which medication they take, our members have demonstrated significant and sustained results!

See what makes Solutions Weight Loss the #1 weight loss clinic in Florida! Schedule your consultation with Dr. Newsome here, or call 407-413-5503, and experience the benefits of today’s metabolic approach to sustainable weight loss! Don’t wait another day to start living your best life!

Because many people are unfamiliar with compounding pharmacies and the valuable purpose they serve, our blog post will look at what they do, and why you can trust the GLP-1 weight loss medications (as well as all others) they produce.

The Role of Compounding Pharmacies

According to the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding (APC), pharmacy compounding plays an essential role in the American healthcare system.

“In traditional compounding, pharmacists create a customized medication, most often from pure ingredients, for an individual patient pursuant to a prescription. Pharmacists’ ability to compound medications is authorized in federal law for good reason: While manufactured drugs are the standard, those don’t come in strengths and dosage forms that are right for everyone, and healthcare practitioners need to be able to prescribe customized medications when, in their judgment, a manufactured drug is not the best course of therapy for a human or animal patient.

“Compounded drugs are not ‘knockoffs,’ ‘dupes,’ or ‘counterfeits’ as they have been referred to in some recent media stories. Rather, they are legitimate therapies created from pure bulk ingredients by pharmacies that adhere to the rigorous compounding standards of the US Pharmacopeia, are licensed by state boards of pharmacy, and are inspected by those state boards, and sometimes by FDA as well.

“Note that when a compounded medication is dispensed, it’s because a prescriber – doctor, physicians’ assistant, nurse practitioner, or veterinarian – wrote the prescription for that compounded medication. The compounded drug is not a substitution for an FDA-approved drug; rather, the prescriber has intentionally prescribed a compounded drug in a specific dosage strength or form or combination of medications that they believe is right for their patient.”

Compounding Pharmacies, GLP-1 Medications and Your Medical Weight Loss Journey

Brand-name GLP-1 medications are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies and dispensed by prescription. GLP-1 medications prepared by compounding pharmacies use semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound), and are also dispensed by prescription. Brand-name and compounded GLP-1 drugs are identical in purity and efficacy (effectiveness).

Moreover, most compounding pharmacies are locally owned and operated. Their owners/pharmacists are members of your community, and therefore committed to providing quality medications in keeping with all regulations. They have a strong incentive – as well as obligation – to practice business in an ethical manner and uphold a good reputation.

One of the many advantages of choosing Solutions Weight Loss for your medical weight loss journey is that we can compound and dispense the GLP-1 medication that William E. Newsome, M.D. – Medical Director and co-owner of Solutions Weight Loss – prescribes for your individual situation and weight loss goals, based upon your in-depth consultation and evaluation. You can leave our office with your medication the same day it’s prescribed!

What About Websites Dispensing GLP-1 Drugs Directly to Consumers?

APC says it best. “Those aren’t pharmacies at all and shouldn’t be conflated with compounding pharmacies. Legitimate compounded drugs are prescribed by a physician or other prescriber for a specific patient. They are prepared and dispensed by state-licensed compounding pharmacies using documented pure active pharmaceutical ingredients that come from FDA-registered facilities. Compounding pharmacies are authorized by federal law and follow FDA Guidance for Industry in preparing copies of FDA-approved drugs when that drug is listed as ‘currently in shortage’ on FDA’s Drug Shortage list – as semaglutide and tirzepatide currently are. FDA guidance is plainly worded on this subject.

“The selling of substances – counterfeit, research-grade, or otherwise – purporting to be FDA-approved drugs direct-to-consumer without a prescription is illegal [emphasis ours]. It’s important to note that those aren’t compounded substances at all. It’s not even pharmacy, and we strongly support FDA’s efforts to end the sale of illicit substances, which put consumers at risk.”

Not far behind are direct-to-consumer (DTC) telehealth companies that provide prescription medications for conditions ranging from hair loss to sexual health – and have now added GLP-1 weight loss medications to their roster. As our blog post – “Why You Shouldn’t Order GLP-1 Medications Online” – points out, these sites invert the usual practice of medicine by turning the act of prescribing drugs into a service. Instead of doctors making diagnoses and then suggesting treatments, patients request drugs and physicians serve largely as gatekeepers.

You may be surprised to learn that there is no single federal or state agency in charge of overseeing DTC services. These companies describe themselves as tech platforms, not health providers – giving them a legal excuse to avoid responsibility should you experience an adverse reaction or bad outcome. Protection for consumers is minimal or non-existent. 

The lack of a one-on-one, in-person doctor-patient relationship is another serious drawback. Such companies may offer an online consultation with a doctor, but the doctor is affiliated with the company. If you can choose the doctor for your video conference, you’ll only be able to choose from those within its network. Some companies let you skip even this step, allowing you to order GLP-1 medications (as well as any other medications the company offers) simply by answering a brief questionnaire and/or filling out a form.

Do You Have Questions About Starting Your Medical Weight Loss Journey? Schedule Your Appointment with Dr. Newsome Today!

Compounded GLP-1 medications are just as effective as their brand-name counterparts, so you can begin – and maintain – your medical weight loss program with confidence! However, medication is only part (although a very important part) of successful, long-term weight loss. Being under the guidance of a physician who specializes in weight loss is key to monitoring your progress, as well as helping you achieve the diet and lifestyle improvements that make a significant difference.

Dr. Newsome has practiced in Orlando for more than 20 years. He is a board-certified family physician and an active member of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. As mentioned earlier, Dr. Newsome will conduct your in-depth initial consultation, and will evaluate and prescribe for you the best treatment to achieve your goals. He brings his own personal weight loss experiences, and a lifelong dedication to health and fitness. Dr. Newsome and our entire team are committed to your success, and are with you at every step of your medical weight loss journey!

Solutions Weight Loss internal results prove our medically supervised program is effective at driving long-term improvements to metabolic health and weight loss, with an average of 21% weight loss at 12 months; 19.1% at 18 months, and 18.9% at 24 months. Our members have also decreased their waist circumference by 7 inches, on average. These results are superior to the weight loss seen in clinical trials for GLP-1 medications. Regardless of which medication they take, our members have demonstrated significant and sustained results!

See what makes Solutions Weight Loss the #1 weight loss clinic in Florida! Schedule your consultation with Dr. Newsome here, or call 407-413-5503, and experience the benefits of today’s metabolic approach to sustainable weight loss! Don’t wait another day to start living your best life!

We thank the APC for its commitment to educating consumers and members of the media about pharmacy compounded GLP-1 drugs.