States cracking down on compounding pharmacies selling knockoff weight-loss drugs
NEW WARNING ABOUT KNOCKOFFS. ERIN McLAUGHLIN REPORTS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT A GROWING NUMBER OF STATES CLAMPING DOWN ON KNOCKOFF VERSIONS OF THE WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS WEGOVY AND OZEMPIC, WHICH COSTING MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH ARE OUT OF REACH FOR MOST AMERICANS AND IN SHORT SUPPLY. SOME COMPOUNDING PHARMACIES STEPPING IN TO FILL THAT VOID, OFFERING WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT SEMAGLUTIDE AT A FRACTION OF THE COST. NOW REGULATORS ARE THREATENING LEGAL ACTION NOTING IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR COMPOUNDING PHARMACIES TO OFFER AN FDA APPROVED VERSION OF THE DRUG BECAUSE THE DRUGMAKER HASN'T SHARED THE INGREDIENTS. >> IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE MEDICATIONS ARE INJECTED. THEY'RE INJECTED UNDER THE SKIN AND ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM. THE RISK LEVEL IS IMMEDIATELY HIGH. >> Reporter: YOU DECIDED TO GO AHEAD WITH IT ANYWAY. >> YES, WHY NOT? LET'S DO IT. >> Reporter: MARY MORGAN MILLS TOOK A COMPOUNDED VERSION OF THE DRUG FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND DIDN'T LOSE THE WEIGHT. AND WHAT HAPPENED? >> NOTHING. I HAD A LOT OF NAUSEA. >> YOU WERE ON THIS DRUG THOUGH FOR TEN MONTHS.
WHY? >> BECAUSE I WAS HOPING THAT SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN, LIKE I JUST FEEL COMPLETELY BAMBOOZLED AND DON'T WANT OTHERS TO FEEL THAT WAY EITHER. >> Reporter: WITH MILLIONS HOPING PHARMACEUTICALS WILL PROVIDE A SILVER BULLET WEIGHT LOSS SOLUTION, DO YOU SEE A WORLD IN WHICH THESE DRUGS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO MOST PEOPLE? >> THEY'RE NOT READILY ACCESSIBLE. THAT WILL TAKE A MAJOR CHANGE WITHIN OUR SOCIETY AND INSURANCE COVERAGE AND HOW WE VIEW OBESITY.
>> Reporter: AMERICA'S WEIGHT LOSS INDUSTRY IS SHEDDING OLD METHODS. JENNY CRAIG, ONCE A .
