COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson is warning South Carolina residents seeking to purchase unapproved and compounded products claiming to be tirzepatide and semaglutide. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in the FDA-approved medicines Mounjaro and Zepbound and semaglutide is the active ingredient in the FDA-approved medicines Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Ozempic. Unapproved and compounded products can be risky for consumers because they are not reviewed by FDA for safety, quality, or effectiveness.
Many unscrupulous sellers are making misleading health claims and promoting unapproved and compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide products in formulations that have never been evaluated by any regulatory agency and may never have been tested in humans at all, such as pill (only available via Rybelsus), sublingual drops, lozenges or films taken under the tongue, topical skin patches, and nasal sprays.
Compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide products that are sold by compounding pharmacies, outsourcing facilities, med-spas, wellness centers, online retailers, and individuals on social media are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Compounded drugs can be appropriate when a consumer cannot access an FDA-approved drug and they are prescribed by the consumer’s physician. However, the FDA does not review any compounded drugs for safety, quality, or effectiveness.
Further, the drugs sold by unscrupulous sellers may be counterfeit and pose serious health risks.
Some sellers are encouraging dangerous behavior, such as selling unapproved and compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide products without a valid prescription or selling “research only” products that people should never put into their bodies.
“Purchasing medication that is untested and being marketed through misleading tactics is dangerous to consumers across South Carolina,” said Attorney General Wilson.
Below are some questions to ask yourself before purchasing counterfeit products claiming to contain tirzepatide or semaglutide. If the answer is “yes” to any of them, you are encouraged not to purchase the products to protect yourself from serious health consequences that may be associated with fake products:
Does the seller offer tirzepatide or semaglutide without a prescription or without the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider?
Does the seller offer research-grade, research-use-only, or tirzepatide or semaglutide intended for research?
Are consumers encouraged to reconstitute (add liquid) the tirzepatide or semaglutide?
Are consumers encouraged to break apart Mounjaro, Zepbound, Wegovy, or Ozempic pens/vials to use them as separate doses or to make watered down doses from vials?
Is the tirzepatide or semaglutide mixed with other medicines, chemicals or other ingredients?
Is the tirzepatide or semaglutide offered in forms that differ from the FDA-approved products (e.g., drops, lozenges or films taken under the tongue, nasal sprays, or topical skin patches)?
Is the seller promoting tirzepatide/semaglutide to consumers under age 18?
Is the tirzepatide or semaglutide sold without disclosing potential side effects or safety risks?
Is the compounding pharmacy, outsourcing facility, med-spa, wellness center, or online seller making inaccurate or unsubstantiated claims about tirzepatide’ s or semaglutide’ s safety and efficacy?
Is the seller offering to sell more than 3 months of tirzepatide/semaglutide at once?
Is the tirzepatide/semaglutide resold from a seller in another country?
Is the tirzepatide/semaglutide sold by an individual person, including on social media?
Are consumers being encouraged to lie to obtain the tirzepatide or semaglutide, including by misrepresenting their weight, health conditions or BMI?
Please report suspected deceptive marketing or sale of unsafe products to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office by calling 1-803-737-3953 or sending an email to info@scag.gov.
