Weight-loss drugs have become massively popular over the last few years, but drug manufacturers have regularly taken heat for how expensive these medications are and how difficult they can be to obtain. Now, some people have found a workaround—although it’s actually illegal.
Some people are purchasing leftover weight loss medications on Facebook or other social media platforms in an effort to a) get their hands on these medications and b) save money. A recent report from the New York Post found multiple sellers hawking weight-loss medications, including one pushing four Mounjaro pens for $700—recently cut down from $750. (Without insurance, Mounjaro costs $1,069.08 per fill, according to the manufacturer Eli Lilly.)
You’re probably already aware that this isn’t the best idea, but it’s also understandable to want to save a buck when it comes to this stuff. Here’s what a weight loss physician wants to you to know.
Meet the expert: Mir Ali, MD, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
Is it safe to buy weight loss drugs from Facebook?
Let’s be honest: You already know the answer to this one. But it never hurts to be reminded that this is a really bad idea.
Just because someone says that they’re selling you semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) doesn’t mean it’s what you’re actually getting, says Mir Ali, MD, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. Also, this is a medication, and it’s important to be under a doctor’s care when you take it.
“You also don’t know if these medications were stored properly,” Ali says. “They need to be refrigerated. Once they’re kept at room temperature, they have a much shorter shelf life.”
If your medication is stored incorrectly, “it will be ineffective if you take it,” Ali says.
Can you go to jail for buying weight loss drugs on Facebook?
Yep, you can actually be thrown in jail for buying certain weight loss drugs on Facebook (or any other social media platform, for that matter). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) specifically warns that you face jail time if you purchase controlled substances online without the actual prescription.
Punishments depend on the state and the amount of medication, but illegally reselling prescription medications in New York can carry penalties of up to 15 years behind bars and hefty fines, the New York Post reports. Buyers, meanwhile, could face a misdemeanor charge, jail time, or fines.
How can I pay less for weight loss drugs?
This is where things get a little tricky. Compounding pharmacies (which sell custom-made medications) have been able to produce their own versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide over the past year or so because they’ve been on the Food and Drug Administration’s shortage list. (When there’s a shortage, compounding pharmacies are allowed to make patented products so consumers can have access.)
But tirzepatide just went out off the shortage list, which means compounding pharmacies must stop making the medications as a result. Compounding pharmacies often offer these at a lower cost than brand names (but aren’t FDA-approved), which means that there’s one less affordable option for patients.
If you rely on these medications for your health, you’re not screwed, though. Eli Lily, which makes Zepbound, recently announced that it is selling single-use vials of the medication. With this, you’ll pay $399 for a four-week supply of 2.5 milligrams of Zepbound (or $99.75 per vial), which is about half of the sticker price of the current form of Zepbound.
Many brands also offer a coupon program that allows you to get the medication at a discount—for a certain period of time, at least, Ali says.
Ultimately, if you’re interested in taking a weight loss medication, it’s really best to check in with a doctor. If they think you can benefit from one of them, they should be able to work with you to find something that will work with your budget.
“If it’s covered by insurance, great. If not, there are other options to get it,” Ali says. “It’s important for people to get these medications from a legitimate source.”
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