Raoul’s Office Issues Cease and Desist Letters to Five Med Spas in the Chicagoland Area Regarding Misleading Marketing of GLP-1 Medications
Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning Illinois residents seeking to purchase GLP-1 medications – including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound – to be aware that many sellers advertising these name brand medications are instead offering unapproved versions of these products that may put people’s health at risk. Raoul is strongly urging people to obtain prescriptions for GLP-1 medications from a trusted health care provider and to fill those prescriptions at an appropriately-licensed pharmacy.
Attorney General Raoul is warning consumers about misleading advertising by med spas, wellness centers, online retailers and social media sellers that states or implies they are offering name brand GLP-1 medications or generic versions of name brand medications, when in reality they are offering compounded drugs. Compounded drugs are not the same as generic drugs. They are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as they are often produced on site and by prescription for individual patients who are unable to take a drug in its FDA-approved form. However, when a drug is in short supply, the FDA allows certain larger pharmacies to use the active ingredient in that drug to produce compounded versions of the drug in order to meet public demand. The FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, quality or effectiveness, however, and these drugs may pose health risks.
“Millions of Americans are looking for help losing weight, and for reasons ranging from the costs to the availability of prescription drugs, they are looking for alternate means of buying what can be lifesaving medications,” Raoul said. “This month, my office issued cease and desist letters calling on five med spas to stop using language that misleads consumers about the products they are purchasing. With scammers and bad actors marketing untested products using brand names, it is critical that consumers obtain prescriptions for GLP-1 medications from their health care providers and fill them at a licensed pharmacy.”
According to Raoul, unscrupulous sellers are also making misleading health claims and promoting GLP-1 products in formulations that have not been evaluated by regulatory agencies or tested in humans at all, such as drops, skin patches and nasal sprays. The FDA has issued warnings to try to stop the distribution of illegal versions of GLP-1 products. Some GLP-1 medications are being sold directly to consumers without prescriptions or are research-only products that should never be used by humans.
Before purchasing products advertised as GLP-1 medications, consider the following questions. If the answer to any of them is yes, avoid purchasing the medication to protect yourself from serious health consequences that may be associated with compounded or fake products. Attorney General Raoul is urging consumers to ask:
Raoul is urging consumers considering taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss to first consult a trusted physician and fill any prescriptions at state-licensed pharmacies. Check the FDA’s drug shortage database to find out whether a medication shortage exists before taking that drug. Knowing whether a medication shortage exists can be a sign that the drug you are contemplating is potentially being compounded. Ask questions about what exactly is being offered, including active and other ingredients.
Consumers should avoid obtaining or filling prescriptions from unknown sources. If filling prescriptions from an online pharmacy, visit the FDA’s online pharmacy information page for resources about safely obtaining prescription medicines online.
Attorney General Raoul encourages Illinois residents to report deceptive marketing or the sale of unsafe products on the Attorney General’s website or by calling one of the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Hotlines:
1-800-386-5438 (Chicago)
1-800-243-0618 (Springfield)
1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale)
1-866-310-8398 (Spanish-language hotline)
