Compound pharmacies that bulk produce weight-loss drugs without FDA approval are doing so without that oversight.  And because compounding pharmacies aren’t required to report instances of patient harm involving their medications, problems may go undetected.“It’s kind of like ‘Whack-A-Mole,’” said Al Carter, a pharmacist and executive director at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. He said state boards will only investigate when they receive a complaint.“There are bad actors out there, purporting to be compounding pharmacies that are licensed in specific states or have the credentials to be able to compound when in actuality they don’t,” said Carter. “My understanding is most licensed, legitimate pharmacies aren’t compounding” weight-loss medications. ‘Compounded’ weight-loss drugs are a growing problem for state regulators – https://stateline.org/2024/07/08/compounded-weight-loss-drugs-are-a-growing-problem-for-state-regulators/

A website sold patients obesity drugs at affordable rates. Now they’re paying the price.– https://www.npr.org/2025/02/08/nx-s1-5246124/a-website-sold-patients-obesity-drugs-at-affordable-rates-now-theyre-paying-the-price

“The two main goals of the medication are weight loss and diabetes management, so patients should stay on the lowest dosage possible until they feel like they’ve plateaued,” said Charu Sawhney, DO, MPH, an internal medicine physician with Harbor Health in Round Rock, Texas. When patients move up on the dosage too fast, they’re going to have more trouble, said Sawhney. “This is when we see the most severe side effects like the malnutrition and dehydration that can sometimes land patients in the hospital,” she said. Considerations for Prescribing GLP-1s Get More Complicated – Medscape – February 07, 2025 – https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/considerations-prescribing-glp-1s-get-more-complicated

I admit as a Former Fat Man that the world of obesity and now a miracle drug to fight the disease fascinates the hell out of me. Caveat emptor!