Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

*Broadcast-quality video file of Attorney General Raoul’s comments can now be downloaded here.*

Chicago – As 2025 begins and millions of Americans start working to keep their New Year’s resolutions, Attorney General Kwame Raoul is reminding Illinois residents who are seeking 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. Weight loss continues to be one of the top New Year’s resolutions among Americans, and 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. “Recently, 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: 

• Does the seller offer GLP-1 medications without a prescription or without the supervision of a licensed health care provider?
• Does the seller offer research-grade, research-only or GLP-1 medications for research purposes?
• Are consumers encouraged to reconstitute GLP-1 medications, break apart Mounjaro and Zepbound pens or vials to use as separate doses, or to water down doses?
• Is the GLP-1 medication mixed with other medications or chemicals?
• Is the GLP-1 medication offered as drops, sprays, skin patches or in under-the-tongue form?
• Is the seller promoting GLP-1 medication to consumers under the age of 18?
• Is the GLP-1 medication sold without disclosing the potential side effects or safety risks?
• Is the compounding pharmacy, med spa, wellness center or online retailer making claims about the GLP-1 medication’s safety and efficacy?
• Is the seller offering to sell more than three months of GLP-1 medications at once?
• Is the GLP-1 medication being sold or shipped from another country?
• Is the GLP-1 medication sold by an individual person, including by someone on social media?
• Are consumers being encouraged to lie to obtain the GLP-1 medication, including by misrepresenting their weight or BMI? 

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)