Medical Weight Loss in a Med Spa Practice
Medical Weight Loss Resource Center
GLP-1 Medications for Weight Loss in Med Spa Practices
Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, announced on Tuesday, June 20, that it was taking action against certain medical spas, medical weight loss clinics and pharmacies that, they allege, have been unfairly competing with and falsely marketing and advertising their drugs. Specifically, they have filed lawsuits in federal court against businesses located in New York, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. At this point, it appears only four businesses are named but additional suits may be forthcoming.
The information and resources on this page can help you make decisions on how you use and market semaglutides and tirzepatides in your medical aesthetic practice.
Medical Weight Loss Podcasts
How much longer will the popular weight loss medications be in shortage, and what happens in your med spa when they can no longer be compounded? This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, is joined by Sam Pondrom, JD, associate at national healthcare law firm ByrdAdatto. They talk about the recent availability status updates for tirzepatide and semaglutide, and what changes medical spas can anticipate when the brand-name medications become fully available.
AmSpa CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Dr. Brittny Williams Howell, board-certified vascular surgeon and CEO of Morph Med Spa in Ridgefield, Connecticut. They discuss medical weight loss programs, the effectiveness of weight loss solutions and the financial implications of working with a compound pharmacy vs. health insurance.
AmSpa CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Patrick O’Brien, JD, of AmSpa and ByrdAdatto, to discuss the legal concerns with compounded semaglutide and its name-brand drugs. They talk about the basic legal implications of Ozempic and recent lawsuits, compounding pharmacy issues and general guidelines for navigating this area of the law.
AmSpa CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Taylor Siemens, NP-C, founder of Aesthetic Care NP and clinical director of Vitalyc Medspa. They discuss medical weight loss programs and protocols for offering semaglutide in your aesthetic practice.
Medical Weight Loss Frequently Asked Questions
According to the FDA, in some circumstances, when a drug appears on the FDA's drug shortages list, drugs may be compounded and distributed with fewer restrictions.
As of August 14, the shortage of both of Eli Lilly's brand name tirzepatide medications Mounjaro and Zepbound was listed as "Resolved" so compounding pharmacies will no longer be able to product generic versions. Medical aesthetic and weight loss practices will be able to use their existing stock for 60 days.
As mentioned on the FDA's information page on semaglutides, "When a drug is in shortage, compounders may be able to prepare a compounded version of that drug if they meet certain requirements in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. As of May 2023, Ozempic and Wegovy are both listed on FDA's Drug Shortages list."
No. Even if a drug is compounded in the same formulation as a trademarked product, you cannot use that brand name if you didn't acquire it from the original company.
No. Even if a drug is compounded in the same formulation as the FDA-approved product, according to the FDA, "Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved."
It depends. In many cases, compounded drugs are able to provide necessary treatment to patients during times of shortage. Regarding semaglutides specifically, the FDA recently released a warning regarding adverse reports from patients after using semaglutides that were not compounded correctly.
AmSpa Masters: Medical Weight Loss
Online Training for GLP-1 Medications in a Med Spa Practice
This on-demand, virtual training runs through the clinical, operational and legal steps to opening a successful and legally compliant medical weight loss program in your practice. Learn Today!Sign up for med spa industry news sent directly to your inbox!
Additional Medical Weight Loss Resources
AmSpa Resources
AmSpa Resources Download AmSpa's Guide to Semaglutides Read More: Who Can Perform Semaglutide Treatments? Although a few states do have rules on appropriate practice for weight loss treatments, for the most part, states do not have special rules on policies and procedures for specific medications (controlled substances being the major exception). However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any rules involved. Here is the basic framework for providing weight loss medical treatments. Read More: Pros and Cons of Ozempic What is Ozempic, how does it apply to medical aesthetics, and what are the pros and cons of offering this treatment to your patients? There may be more things you’ll need to consider than you might imagine. Read More: What Do Medical Spas Need to Know About Compounding Pharmacies? You may have noticed the term “compounding pharmacy” mentioned with increasing frequency in recent months. Compounding pharmacies feature in the recent news about controversies involving semaglutide-based drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as in discussions about IV therapy. So, what do you need to know about compounding pharmacies, anyway? Read More: Maker of Wegovy and Ozempic Takes Action Against Medical Spas, Weight Loss Clinics and Pharmacies Novo Nordisk is the manufacturer of several drugs containing semaglutide. Ozempic and Rybelsus have U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approvals to treat Type II diabetes, while Wegovy is FDA-approved to treat chronic weight management. There are currently no approved generic semaglutide medications. Following the lawsuits against the weight loss practices last month, Novo Nordisk has now filed suit against three pharmacies for selling semaglutide injections. Read More: Compounded GLP-1 FAQ What is happening with the compounding of glucagon-like peptide 1 medications? Find a timeline and critical insights into the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding tirzepatide and semaglutide, including what compounding is allowed and how to continue offering your patients GLP-1 wellness care. FDA Resources Read More: Drug Compounding and Drug Shortages Read More: Drug Shortages Read More: FDA Drug Shortages Database Read More: FDA Listing on Semaglutide | Tirzepatide Read More: FDA Clarifies Policy for Facilities Compounding GLP-1Get more legal and business resources by becoming an AmSpa member today!
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