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The meteoric rise in demand for weight loss drugs has created widespread shortages, leading to the emergence of compounding pharmacies as an alternative source for these medications.

• Compounding pharmacies create custom medications by combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to meet specific needs
• Unlike FDA-approved medications, compounded drugs don't undergo the same rigorous safety and effectiveness reviews
• Dosing errors with compounded weight loss medications have led to serious adverse events requiring hospitalization
• Confusion between units, milliliters, and milligrams contributes to potentially dangerous dosing mistakes
• Some compounding pharmacies add unproven ingredients like vitamins, L-carnitine, and NAD to their formulations
• The long half-life of these medications (about one week) means overdose symptoms can persist for extended periods
• Pharmaceutical companies have responded with direct-to-consumer models offering FDA-approved versions at reduced prices
• Eli Lilly now offers Zepbound in vial form for approximately $499/month versus $1000+ for pen versions
• Novo Nordisk's NovaCare pharmacy provides direct-to-patient delivery of Wegovy single-dose pens at similar price points

Please talk to your healthcare provider about what option might be right for you, as these medications require careful consideration and proper dosing is essential for safety.

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Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD & Nicole Aruffo, RN
Artwork: Olivia Pawlowski