Some doctors are embracing compounded versions of popular weight loss drugs
Some health care providers say they feel more comfortable prescribing compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, the weight loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound.
Some health care providers say they’re starting to feel more comfortable prescribing compounded versions of the blockbuster weight loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound, even as others have lingering concerns about the ingredients used in them.
It has been no secret that, even with a prescription in hand, the weight loss drugs can be hard to get hold of. They’re pricey — a month’s supply can cost more than $1,000 — and are often in shortage.
Compounded versions of semaglutide (the drug found in Wegovy) and tirzepatide (the drug in Zepbound), on the other hand, often come at lower prices and are much easier to get.
“Not only are physicians more OK with prescribing compounded GLP-1 medications, but they are also advocating for them,” said Dr. Shauna Levy, a specialist in obesity medicine and the medical director of the Tulane Bariatric Center in New Orleans, referring to the class of drugs that include Wegovy and Zepbound.
At Duke Health’s Hillsborough Primary Care Center in North Carolina, providers have been prescribing compounded versions of the drugs while the brand-name versions are in shortage.
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