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Blocked From Selling Off-Brand Ozempic, Telehealth Startups Embrace a Less Effective Drug
As the FDA halts the sale of Ozempic and Zepbound copycats, online clinics have begun offering liraglutide, an older GLP-1 medication injected daily instead of weekly.
Often considered a precursor to blockbuster products like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, liraglutide is becoming the new darling of online clinics offering prescription weight loss and diabetes meds—despite its relative old age. The FDA determined earlier this year that patented medications like Zepound and Ozempic were no longer in shortage, ending provisions that allowed online clinics to sell off-brand, compounded versions of the drugs. Compounding pharmacies and telehealth startups flourished selling these alternative GLP-1 products online, attracting millions of customers who couldn’t afford or were unwilling to pay higher prices for the name-brand medications, which are frequently not covered by insurance.
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