Source: Fortune
Summary
A physician who runs a telemedicine practice for obesity treatment says he has never prescribed a compounded GLP-1, despite the growing market for such drugs. He argues that the FDA should enforce stricter rules on online sellers and prescribers. The agency has sent warning letters to 30 telehealth companies, but the physician believes more action is needed. Compounded drugs lack the oversight of approved medications, and some companies market them as cheaper alternatives without proper medical justification. A recent study found minimal clinician involvement in compounded GLP-1 orders, with some processed in under five minutes. The physician emphasizes the need for medical necessity and proper oversight to protect patients.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Physicians say they don’t prescribe compounded GLP-1s without medical necessity.
FDA has sent warning letters to 30 telehealth companies.
Compounded drugs lack oversight and third-party testing.
Patients get little medical supervision from online portals.
The physician calls for stronger FDA enforcement and better oversight.
Author: Evan Null
Telemedicine and the GLP-1 Market
The physician runs a telemedicine practice focused on obesity treatment. He has never prescribed a compounded GLP-1, despite the growing market for such drugs. He argues that the FDA should enforce stricter rules on online sellers and prescribers. The agency has sent warning letters to 30 telehealth companies, but the physician believes more action is needed. Compounded drugs lack the oversight of approved medications, and some companies market them as cheaper alternatives without proper medical justification.
Compounded Drugs and Patient Safety
A recent study of compounded GLP-1 sellers found next to no clinician involvement, and some orders cleared in under five minutes. That’s nothing more than commercial fulfillment. Federal law allows pharmacies to compound for individual medical needs, but the physician says the current market has gone beyond that. He says patients should not be getting untested, unauthorized lookalikes as medicine. Without proper oversight, what’s in the vial may not match what’s on the label.
Medical Necessity and FDA Guidance
The physician says that if a prescriber can’t name the medical reason for a compounded GLP-1, they don’t have one. He calls on the FDA to issue guidance stating that cost is not a medical justification for compounding. He also says that compounded GLP-1s are not like-for-like substitutes for approved drugs. The physician believes that without official intervention, the issue will worsen. An FDA advisory panel recently recommended adding six unapproved peptides to the list of substances that can be compounded in bulk, on almost no human evidence.
Insurance and Patient Access
The physician understands why the market for compounded GLP-1s exists. These medications are expensive, insurance coverage is inconsistent, and economic strain is high. He takes this seriously and discusses every option with his patients. But he says there’s no bargain for medicine when you can’t be sure what you’re getting. He emphasizes the need for medical necessity and proper oversight to protect patients. Telemedicine has expanded access to experts, but a questionnaire is not a physician.
Regulatory Responsibility and Physician Duty
Doctors have a responsibility to hold the line on medical standards, and regulators must do the same. The physician says that without federal requirements, some companies won’t adhere to the same promise. He believes that until there’s proof that a substance is safe and effective, he won’t prescribe it. But without federal requirements, some companies won’t follow the same standard. The physician calls for stronger FDA enforcement and better oversight to protect patients from untested, unauthorized medications.
