Telehealth business Hims and Hers will stop offering customers pills made of compounded semaglutide, which is used for weight loss and diabetes control, the company said in a Feb. 7 post on X.
Compounded drugs are medications created by licensed pharmacists or physicians by mixing and combining the various ingredients of a drug. These are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, as a result of which their safety, quality, and effectiveness remain suspect. Semaglutide is the active ingredient of medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which are GLP-1 drugs used to treat diabetes and weight loss.
On Feb. 5, Hims and Hers announced it was offering compounded semaglutide to customers.
“This new option features a specialized formulation that is engineered to protect the active ingredient through digestion and support absorption,” it said.
The company offered introductory plans beginning at $49 from the first month, with a 5-month plan. Hims and Hers claimed it adhered to “all federal and state standards for compounding.” Moreover, all active pharmaceutical ingredients used in the compounded drugs are exclusively sourced from facilities registered with the FDA, according to the company.
In a Feb. 5 post on X, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said the agency would take “swift action” against companies that mass-market copycat drugs with a claim that they are similar to FDA-approved products.
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