In part two of this three-part series on the Attorney General Alliance (AGA) 2025 Annual Meeting, we highlight panelists' discussions on the safety and regulation of GLP-1 medications and the role of attorneys general in competitive markets. You can read part one of our series here.
Day two of the conference began with a discussion of GLP-1 drugs, such as Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, and Wegovy, a class of medications that help regulate blood sugar and control appetite, among other potential benefits. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson led the conversation and explained that to capitalize on previous supply shortages and high costs, bad actors and compounding pharmacies have flooded the U.S. market with counterfeit GLP-1 drugs (generally by utilizing the "de minimis" exception for U.S. imports, which often allows the drugs to come into the country undetected). Panelists described that these counterfeit GLP-1 medications can contain contaminants or other unknown drugs that lead to serious side effects and urged AG offices and the Federal Drug Administration to increase oversight in this area.
Panelists also described that many unlicensed and unregulated online retailers are illegally selling the active ingredients in GLP-1 drugs directly to consumers, without a prescription. Although these online retailers claim that their products are an easier and more affordable way to obtain GLP-1 drugs, in reality, they often force consumers to formulate and inject the medication themselves, dramatically increasing the risk of overdosing. Panelists stressed that there is an epidemic of misleading and fraudulent claims being made via social media regarding these compounded products, with one study finding a 1200% increase in problematic ads between 2022 and 2024.
Moreover, panelists raised that many people (roughly 21%) obtain GLP-1s from med spas, which can be an issue because many states lack regulatory oversight for these entities. Panelists urged AGs to issue alerts regarding these issues, host education sessions, and partner with their local boards of pharmacy on enforcement.
The next session, facilitated by South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, explored how AGs should balance innovation and competition while championing consumer interests. Panelists included industry representatives who discussed the ways their businesses have addressed consumer needs and created innovative products, while still supporting and championing thoughtful regulations and collaborating with AGs to facilitate their enforcement priorities where possible.
Stay on the lookout for the third and final part of our series describing the AGA Annual Meeting.
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