Compounding pharmacies for weight-loss drugs

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [What you should know about compounded versions of weight-loss drugs]( By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent The popularity of the latest group of weight loss drugs, led by Wegovy, is bringing a boutique niche of the pharmaceutical industry into the spotlight. Compounding pharmacies—long known to patients who need custom-made versions of brand name drugs, in different formulations, doses, or formulas—are becoming a new source for obtaining semaglutide, the main ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus. Shortages in the branded versions of the drugs, made by Novo Nordisk, mean that compounded pharmacies can legally make and sell semaglutide. But not all versions are alike. Here’s what you need to know about compounding pharmacies and the drugs they make: - Doctors need to write a prescription specifically for a compounded version of semaglutide. - The Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers about some versions of compounded semaglutide, which the agency says may not meet its criteria for properly compounded drugs. - Patients should rely on referrals from their doctors or pharmacies listed by the Alliance for Compounding Pharmacy for legitimate pharmacies. [READ THE REST]( Share This Story What Else to Read [Dogs Across the U.S. Are Falling Sick From a Mystery Illness. What to Know]( By Mallory Moench A respiratory illness with an unknown cause is sickening dogs in Oregon and other states, prompting warnings from veterinarians. [Read More »]( [Doctors in the U.S. Can’t Be Silent in the Face of What’s Happening in Gaza]( By Brett Lewis "It is time we live up to the values modeled by the brave healthcare workers of Gaza," writes Brett Lewis. [Read More »]( [More Free COVID-19 Tests Are Available for the Holiday Season]( By AMANDA SEITZ / AP Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests online for home delivery. [Read More »]( [Type 2 Diabetes Remission Is Possible. Here’s How to Do It]( By Michael O. Schroeder Patients with Type 2 diabetes can achieve remission, usually via weight loss. [Read More »]( [How to Manage Catastrophic Thinking]( By Martin Seligman The catastrophizer's mindset turns out to be an enormous impediment to happiness. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ FROM ELSEWHERE [The gift of aging]( In many ways aging is a curse, creating loss and pain, writes author Anne Lamott in an essay in the Washington Post. But it also provides wisdom and perspective, which are all the more valuable in these chaotic and painful times. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Oliver Staley, and edited by Oliver. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.