# FDA Warns Against Compounded Versions of Semaglutide
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about compounded versions of the drug semaglutide, which is approved for the treatment of diabetes and excess weight. Compounding is the process of combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient. Semaglutide, a type of drug called a GLP-1 agonist, is FDA-approved as Ozempic and Rybelsus to treat type 2 diabetes and as Wegovy to treat overweight and obesity.
## The FDA’s Warning
The FDA has received reports of adverse events in people who used compounded semaglutide and has warned patients not to use a compounded drug if an approved drug is available. The agency does not review compounded versions of drugs for safety, effectiveness, or quality. Some compounders may also be using salt forms of the medication, such as semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate, which have different active ingredients from those in the approved drugs. Products containing these salts have not been shown to be safe and effective.
## What Patients and Health Care Providers Should Know
Patients and health care providers should be aware of the differences in compounded medications and only obtain drugs containing semaglutide with a prescription from a licensed health care provider. Medicines should only be obtained from state-licensed pharmacies or outsourcing facilities registered with the FDA. Anyone who is prescribed compounded semaglutide and wants to be certain about the ingredients can ask the pharmacist for a certificate of analysis and results from analytical testing labs.
## The Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding’s Statement
The Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding has advised consumers not to shop online for anything purported to be semaglutide if they don’t have a prescription and can’t verify that the seller is a licensed US pharmacy. The group also recommends that patients and health care providers be aware of these differences in compounded medications.
The FDA’s warning is a reminder of the importance of obtaining medications from licensed health care providers and state-licensed pharmacies or outsourcing facilities registered with the FDA. Patients and health care providers should always be vigilant about the safety and effectiveness of the medications they use.
