Connecticut: Correcting the attorney general

Connecticut’s attorney general, William Tong, sent a letter to healthcare providers across his state (specifically weight loss clinics), telling them, “Compounding pharmacies are no longer allowed by the FDA to manufacture semaglutide or tirzepatide weight loss injections [...] in bulk because these medications are no longer on the FDA’s shortage list.” He then went on to parrot pharma companies’ debunked talking points about the alleged ‘dangers’ of compounded GLP-1s. 

Showing a surprising lack of understanding of FDA regulations, Tong went on to call out Connecticut healthcare providers that “... even advertise GLP-1 weight loss injections that contain additives, such as vitamins, or compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide pills,” which he contends, incorrectly, are not permitted.

With a deep sigh, we wrote to Attorney General Tong explaining that, contrary to his contention, “compounding is still allowed when a prescriber determines and documents that their patient has a specific clinical need that cannot be met by the FDA-approved GLP-1 drug.”

We also explained that including additives, such as vitamins — based on a prescriber’s determination that they are required for a patient — is not only “fully authorized under federal law and FDA guidance,” but one of several reasons compounding GLP-1s is permitted.

It’s another example of how even people who should know better are being swayed by pharma’s well-funded and ill-intentioned marketing blitz against compounding.