US FDA issues 25 warning letters to telehealth firms over false weight‑loss drug claims

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent 25 warning letters to telehealth companies for marketing false or misleading claims about compounded versions of popular GLP‑1 weight‑loss and diabetes drugs. The letters, posted on June 16, target firms such as Medica Weight Loss, Ready Med and Clover Meds, which asserted that their compounded tirzepatide (Lilly’s Zepbound/Mounjaro) and semaglutide (Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic/Wegovy) were sourced from FDA‑approved pharmacies or clinically studied.

FDA officials said compounded GLP‑1 products have not been proven safe, effective, or of consistent quality like approved drugs, and warned that patients deserve to know what they receive. The agency’s action is part of a broader crackdown on compounded drugs and follows an April proposal to exclude these weight‑loss medicines from a key compounding list, potentially limiting large‑scale production by outsourcing facilities.