Why Is There So Much Off-Brand Oral Ozempic For Sale Online?

Since their inception, injectable GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic have been in high demand. In addition to treating diabetes and obesity, these drugs have cardiovascular benefits, and there is evidence that they may prevent addiction and possibly even protect against certain types of cancer, which has already widened their appeal. But for people who hate needles, these drugs have a clear, clear effect: They need to take a shot every week.

However, now on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, ads for GLP-1 drug brands are increasing. After the shortage of drugs bearing the brand name GLP-1 in 2022, a booming industry of pharmacies “bundled” with health clinics to provide copies of drugs, as allowed by law in case of shortages, emerged. But unlike the pharma giants that produce the original, these virtual clinics and specialty pharmacies offer oral versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide for weight loss. They offer lozenges, pills, tablets, cheek gels, drops, and dissolvable patches, which promise to deliver the same active ingredients as the brand name medicine without injections.

It’s an attractive prospect—especially since these drugs are offered at a fraction of the price of their brand-name counterparts and are often shipped overnight after a prospective patient fills out a quick online questionnaire. A month’s supply of semaglutide lozenges with added vitamin B6 from telehealth startup Strut, for example, costs $149 without insurance, compared to Wegovy’s $1,000-plus price tag.

“As a pharmacist, I can see the excitement of the increase in oral semaglutide, as it is an easier option than injections,” said Melinda Lee, a pharmacist who manages Parcel Health’s pharmaceutical packaging and GLP-1 drug discovery. database. Oral versions also do not require refrigeration like injections, making them easier to ship and store. But while he understands the enthusiasm, Lee remains skeptical. Although taking the drug by mouth may be more attractive than a needle, when it comes to GLP-1s, the evidence that they work is not yet there, he says.

Unlike the brand-name drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, the compounded versions have not been rigorously tested in clinical trials, and are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. And although by law they must contain the same active ingredient as the drug they’re mimicking, these orally produced drugs may not be nearly as effective as injectable drugs.

Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, an obesity specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, says she does not recommend oral GLP-1 compounds to her patients. “I don’t think about myself, I don’t give up and I don’t give up,” he said.