Since their debut, injectable GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic have been in high demand. apart from treatment diabetes and obesity, these drugs have cardiovascular benefits, and there is evidence that they may curb addiction and possibly even protect against some types of disease. cancerWhich has made his appeal wider. But for people who hate needles, these drugs have one glaring, glaring drawback: They require weekly dosing.
However, now, on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, advertisements for oral knock-off versions of GLP-1 drugs are increasing rapidly. After a shortage of brand-name GLP-1 drugs occurred in 2022, an emerging industry of “compounding” pharmacies and telehealth clinics emerged to offer copies of the drugs, as they are legally allowed to do so when there is a shortage. Is. But unlike the pharma giants that produce the originals, these virtual clinics and specialty pharmacies are offering versions of semaglutide and tirazepate for weight loss that are taken by mouth. They offer lozenges, tablets, pills, cheek gels, drops, and disintegrating strips, promising to deliver the same active ingredients as the trademark drugs without the injections.
It's an attractive prospect – especially because these medications are offered at a fraction of the price of their name-brand counterparts and are often shipped overnight after the potential patient fills out an application. Quick online questionnaire. One Month Supply of Semaglutide Lozenges with Vitamin B6 telehealth startup StrutFor example, it costs $149 without insurance, while Wegovi costs more than $1,000.
“As a pharmacist, I can appreciate the enthusiasm for the increase in oral semaglutide, as it is a safer option than injectables,” says Melinda Lee, a pharmacist who runs the availability of the GLP-1 drug alongside the pharmaceutical packaging company Parcel Health. It's the easy way.” Database. Oral versions also do not need to be refrigerated like injectables, making them easier to ship and store. But although she understands the enthusiasm, Lee remains skeptical. She says taking medications by mouth may be more appealing than injections, but when it comes to GLP-1, the evidence that they are as effective is not yet in.
Unlike the brand-name drugs Ozempic, Vegovy, Monzaro, and Zepbound, the compounded versions have not been rigorously tested in clinical trials, and they are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. And although by law they must contain the same active ingredients as the drug they copy, these orally prepared drugs may not work the same way as injectable drugs.
Obesity specialist Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, says she doesn't recommend oral mixed GLP-1 drugs to her patients. “I don't consider them, I don't prescribe them and I don't support them,” she says.