Go to a med spa for GLP-1 injections? That drug may be coming from a red-flagged pharmacy
Even after federal shortages of the most popular weight-loss drugs ended, many medical spas are still selling copycat versions — and some patients may not know where those drugs are actually coming from.
Mason Reed 
If you are considering a visit to a med spa for GLP-1 injections, you might want to pause and ask some tough questions about where your medication is actually coming from. Recent findings from the University of Colorado Anschutz indicate that some patients may be receiving drugs sourced from pharmacies that lack proper licensing or have been flagged by regulators for questionable sterile manufacturing practices.
Understanding the Compounded Market
Compounded GLP-1 drugs are custom-mixed alternatives to FDA-approved brand-name weight-loss medications. While these options grew in popularity starting in 2022—when the FDA added drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound to official shortage lists—the landscape has shifted significantly. According to FDA guidance, the shortages for tirzepatide and semaglutide were officially resolved in December 2024 and February 2025, respectively, which effectively should have ended the legal window for compounding these "copycat" versions.
Findings from the Front Lines
A new study published by University of Colorado Anschutz researchers analyzed 75 med spas and clinics across Oklahoma and West Virginia. The investigation revealed that of the 23 compounding pharmacies supplying these facilities, four were operating without the necessary licenses for sterile compounding. Furthermore, several others had recently faced disciplinary actions or FDA warning letters regarding their injectable product processes.
"This market has grown so large and diffuse that it’s difficult for regulators to oversee every pharmacy supplying these medications," said Michael J. DiStefano, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He noted that even after the supply shortages ended, the market for these products did not shrink as anticipated.
Loophole Tactics
Researchers suggest that some pharmacies may be bypassing regulations by adding ingredients like vitamin B12 to their formulations. By claiming these are "individualized" mixes, some entities are attempting to maintain a legal pathway for compounding even without a national shortage. While these medications have provided a vital alternative for patients struggling with high costs or insurance coverage gaps, the study emphasizes that patients should not have to gamble between affordability and quality.
It is important to note that the study did not analyze the safety of the specific medications themselves; rather, it focused on how these products are sourced and marketed. As 205focus.com continues to track this story, researchers remain focused on the need for increased transparency and stricter oversight in a market that remains significantly broader than the data from these two states suggests.
