The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns the public of noncompliant healthcare providers, to include pharmacies, weight loss clinics, and medical spas, engaging in fraudulent compounding practices by unlawfully misrepresenting compounded weight loss drugs. These misrepresented drugs can pose safety risks and significant health consequences to patients, such as gastrointestinal disorders, nervous system disorders, cardiac disorders, psychiatric disorders, and death.
Noncompliant healthcare providers are selling fraudulently compounded drugs claiming to contain semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, in combination with other ingredients. Some healthcare providers are using compounded mixtures of unknown drugs that do not contain semaglutide, drugs with high levels of impurities, and unsafe or unapproved drugs.
- Healthcare professionals at medical spas, pharmacies and weight loss centers in multiple states sold fraudulently compounded semaglutide drugs. Testing of the compounded drugs revealed some of the misrepresented compounds did not contain semaglutide and had large percentages of unknown drug impurities.
- A southern-based medical spa and weight loss clinic offered and sold their own weight loss medication, which was compounded in Georgia. The compounded mixture had an "animal grade" semaglutide with vitamin B12, which is incompliant with FDA regulations.
- A Southeastern state issued an Order of Summary Suspension1 to an identified pharmacy due to alleged patient safety concerns. The pharmacy filled more than 1,000 prescriptions daily and employed many pharmacists and technicians with little to no pharmacy work experience. In the first seven months of 2023, the pharmacy generated millions of dollars by selling fraudulently compounded and generic versions of high dosages of semaglutide combined with vitamin B6 to healthcare providers.
Tips to Protect Yourself
- Avoid suspiciously low prices of weight loss drugs sold by unlicensed healthcare providers.
- Be cautious when purchasing any pharmaceutical drugs online and buy only from licensed pharmacies.
- Consult with your medical provider before using any pharmaceutical weight loss drugs.
Report It
If you believe you have been a victim of a similar fraudulent activity, please file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
- Identifying information about the company and/or healthcare providers who sold fraudulent weight loss drugs to you, including name, phone number, address, email address, and website.
- State any side effects or complications related to the use of the weight loss drugs you received to FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program by completing and submitting a report online at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/. Additionally, the form can be downloaded at https://www.fda.gov/media/85598/download?attachment and submitted via fax at: 1-800-FDA-0178.
- If available, please include the National Provider Identifier (NPI) associated with the healthcare provider. The NPI is a 10-digit number that identifies covered healthcare providers for HIPPA transactions and can be found at https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/search.