While plenty of people rave about the weight loss results you can get from drugs like Ozempic, there’s also been a ton of chatter over the fact that these meds are really expensive. These drugs have also been in and out of shortage, making it tough to get your hands on Ozempic and similar medications—if you can afford it.
With that, some people have turned to telehealth and compounding pharmacies to get semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic). And, if you don’t have a primary care physician or have one who feels comfortable prescribing these medications, it also makes sense to turn to telehealth.
This isn’t perfect, though, and access to Ozempic through compounding pharmacies may be tough in the future. Similar medication tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) just moved off the Food and Drug Administration’s drug shortages list, which means that compounding pharmacies will no longer be able to make and sell them. (They can only create their own versions of these medications when they’re in shortage.)
Semaglutide medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are also reportedly getting closer to moving off the shortages list, although they’re not there yet. As a result, you can still snap up compounded versions of semaglutide via telehealth.
But is this a good idea? An obesity medicine physician weighs in.
Meet the expert: Alexandra Sowa, MD, is an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution
What are the benefits of getting Ozempic from a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy?
There are a few potential perks of going this route. “Weight stigma still permeates many medical practices,” which can make it difficult to find a general doctor who will prescribe Ozempic to you, says Alexandra Sowa, MD, an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.
But a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy usually has a business model set up to prescribe and deliver these medications, she says. “It’s a friendly and easy way to get the medications,” Sowa says.
Cost can go either way when you go the compounding route, she says. While these medications are often cheaper at face value when you get them from a compounding pharmacy “many of the companies don’t even offer the option of insurance,” Sowa says.
If you don’t have health insurance or your health insurance doesn’t cover medications like Ozempic, getting medication from a compounding pharmacy may be a more affordable way to go. But that’s not always the case (more on that in a sec).
What are the cons of getting Ozempic from a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy?
There are a few potential downsides of going this route. The FDA has warned about potential cons and fake medications on the market, and taking one of these could be dangerous.
Most telehealth and compounding pharmacies also are simply focused on helping you to lose weight, but aren’t looking at your health as a whole, Sowa says.
“These medications are for overall weight loss for health,” she says. “Taking them just to be skinny is a problem.”
The medications are also not FDA approved or regulated. “They’re supposed to be copies, but it’s hard to know what’s in them,” Sowa says. With that, it’s difficult to know if they’re safe or even effective.
It also may be more cost efficient to get real Ozempic through a doctor.
“I’ve had a lot of patients who paid for compounded medications for a long time, but they had obesity coverage in their insurance coverage that would have covered the real medication,” Sowa says. “They paid much more than they needed to.”
How does dosing differ from traditional Ozempic?
Every compounding pharmacy is different and, with that, it’s hard to make a blanket statement on how compounded Ozempic works. However, Sowa says that many will have you do the dosing through an injection as opposed to brand-name Ozempic, which comes in a pen.
“Medications in compounded pharmacies usually come in vials,” she says. Meaning, you use a needle to draw out the amount of medication you need and then inject it into yourself.
How do side effects differ from traditional Ozempic?
Again, it’s hard to say. “We’re not entirely sure what’s in it or how it’s diluted,” Sowa says. “The biggest side effect I’ve seen in my practice is that people say it didn’t work. It makes me wonder how active these compounded medications are.”
Should you get Ozempic from a telehealth appointment or compounding pharmacy?
Sowa isn’t a fan of going this route.
“This is a big problem,” she says. “It’s best to go to a physician who is certified in obesity medicine.”
At the very least, Sowa says that a doctor who specializes in obesity medicine can walk you through your options, and see if you’re a good candidate for Ozempic. You can decide on next steps from there.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
