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.