If a thread on Reddit is to be believed, one telehealth platform out there is using a contract pharmacy that is inserting Otter Pops as ice packs in the compounded GLP-1 drugs they are dispensing. Those shipments are landing on patients’ doorstep with the pops completely melted, the thread alleges, and the drug warm. That’s the assertion, anyway.

“This is how my compound was kept cold 🤦‍♀️ the thermos is full of freezer pop juice,” one supposed patient wrote.

“Are they at least sugar free?” asked another commenter.

Here’s my suspicion: Some creative marketing type thought this was a good idea. A gimmick, something memorable, clever even, to make the company stand out. That’s what marketing people do. Well, they are standing out now — and not in a good way.

Here’s my concern: Some pharmacist-in-charge went along with it. And that leaves me shaking my head.

Again, it’s Reddit, and I do know to take what I read online with a bit of skepticism.

But not everyone is so skeptical, and for many, that Reddit thread — and the literally thousands of other crazy marketing claims and schemes that are landing in email boxes and social media posts every minute — is reality.

It’s hurting our profession.

But it’s not the only thing hurting us. As you’ll read below, news stories this week focused on adverse events reported by patients taking compounded GLP-1s and on actions taken by a number of boards of pharmacy against pharmacies that the board had determined had skirted practice and compliance standards.

I’m not suggesting that any of you are doing these things. I’m not pointing a finger and saying this is your fault.

But the unfortunate reality is that your reputation — and mine, too, dammit — is only as good as that of our worst actors. I ran for this position so I could help promote, advocate and advance our practice. Sharing and caring in any way that I can. And this is nothing less than frustrating to see. The mistakes and misstatements and malpractice of others, the scams and schemes of the sketchiest entities, none of that is self-contained. Their mud has a broad splash radius, and it’s landing on us all.

But this week, I did pick up the phone and will attempt again to reach the Otter-Pop pharmacy. I’m telling them to cool it with the popsicles. And maybe join APC, so they’ll know better next time.

— Joe

P.S. As a reminder, back in June APC hosted an hour-long briefing on GLP-1 compounding, marketing claims, and best practices. If you missed it, here it is. It’s worth your time. Share with your teammates, too.