The U.S Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers of internet pharmacies selling unapproved weight-loss versions of GLP-1 drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide.
The agency issued warning letters informing that some website operators are engaged in illegal activity and violating federal law with sales of the obesity drug retatrutide and other unapproved versions of GLP-1 products to consumers
Earlier this month, drug maker Eli Lilly filed six lawsuits against U.S. companies, including compounding pharmacies, medical spas and unauthorized online sellers that allegedly marketed retatrutide products to consumers despite the drug remaining under clinical development
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Legal analyst Rusty Reynolds spoke with KXAN morning anchor Sally Hernandez about the possible health and legal consequences of buying unapproved drugs online
Hernandez: I think that’s what is so confusing, when I’m first hearing about the craze in this, and then how people are getting it, they’re injecting it. I don’t understand how you can get it if it’s not FDA approved
Reynolds: That’s a good question. So there’s a lot of attractiveness to it, but there’s also a lot of risk. That’s how folks are getting it, is that you’ve got telehealth that can come from another state, can come from another country, and things can be shipped to you.
Hernandez: From the legal side, Rusty, who would be responsible if I choose that I want to inject something like this? Who would be responsible if it turns into something dangerous?
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Reynolds: So if you’ve developed or experienced an injury or harm from that off-the-book or medication, then it’s going to be hard to figure out. Can we identify who prescribed it? And can we identify who provided the medication? So those are the two people that would be in line
Then it could be, if we can’t find that, can we find out how did they get access to you?
We’re talking about today, where social media sites are being held liable for the exposure they give the kids, a channel that has allowed these dangerous providers to conduct business, to provide dangerous medications, are they now potentially liable for participating in this venture? So I think we’re going to have to look at all three of those areas to figure out who can we identify and hold accountable.
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