Compounded Prescriptive Medications
Compounded medications are nothing new, but have caught controversy recently due to various reasons and unfortunately some due to certain individuals/providers/pharmacies missing out on money due to their lack of production and coverage.
Over the past several years, a variety of medications have been put on “backorder,” as well as insurance companies refusing to pay for them or charging high premium payments for them. When this happens, particularly medications being inaccessible to patients who need them, legally, compounded pharmacies are allowed to intervene even if the medications are “patented.” The reason for this is simple - individuals need a medication for various reasons (diabetes, weight loss, hormone replacement, etc) but are not able to access those due to lack of production or even larger, lack of insurance coverage. A lot of company insurance plans only cover certain medications (blood pressure, cholesterol, reflux, etc), and most of the time, weight loss medications are NOT one of them. Regardless, the need is obviously still there. Should patients go without their medications because pharmacies don’t have them in stock? Should patients go without their medications because their insurance only covers a small part and they’re still responsible for a hefty monthly bill? No. Absolutely not. EDUCATION is KEY.
New Vision Weight Loss Clinic is proud to offer alternatives and we are very particular in the pharmacies we use. All are local. All are in Tennessee.
Our primary compounding pharmacy uses l-carnitine with our semaglutide and tirzepatide.
Legitimate compounding pharmacies are safe. In the case of who we use, they are government regulated pharmacies who undergo vigorous sterility testing. They are supervised by licensed pharmacist(s), physicians, and even third-party professionals to ensure their safety and efficacy. Compounding pharmacies ARE regulated by the FDA and overseen by the state board.
The FDA ensures no compounding operation may mislabel or misrepresent compounded medications or their ingredients.
The FDA oversees compounding operations to ensure they meet the necessary regulations and guidelines for compounding. If a compounding operation fails to meet these requirements or violates their obligations under the FDCA, they are then subject to all the requirements for conventional manufacturers. This means that non-compliant manufacturers must then pay for the verification and testing necessary for FDA approval before resuming business.
While many people, including misinformed healthcare professionals, may hold some common misconceptions about compounded medications, it’s important to separate myth/rumors from reality and consider the value of custom-compounded prescription drugs - especially those that are needed but not easily accessible.
Bottom line - when needed medications are inaccessible to our patients, we should fight to ensure they still get what they need. And instead of trying to spread false information - our goal should be the same in helping our community, enabling others to become healthier, and equipping our patients with the nutrition and the tools they need.
So if you come across a healthcare provider trying to mis-represent that medications aren’t safe or coming from other countries other than the United States — keep in mind, they’re likely getting kick-backs from the main manufacturers and therefore, would discourage anyone using anything other than those made by the manufacturers themselves.
At New Vision Weight Loss Clinic, we love our patients and won’t stop fighting for them to receive nothing but the best of care and access to what they need — and if that means a compounded medication they can afford — so be it. Your overall health is our priority and we’ll help you do whatever it takes to obtain, maintain, and sustain that.
And as a side note, if any healthcare professional gives you semaglutide in anything other than a WEGOVY PEN, it’s “compounded.” So make sure you know what you’re getting and paying for. If it’s in a syringe, it’s compounded. Wegovy ONLY comes in a pen. We’re happy to be transparent in offering semalgutide, but be weary of those claiming to offer name-brand “Wegovy” in a syringe. That’s not real Wegovy and they’re not being transparent about what you’re paying for or injecting.