When medications are in short supply, compounding pharmacies get the nod to create compounded versions of these drugs so that more people can access their medical benefits. Weight loss medications like tirzepatide are no exception. But who is making these compounded medications—and how can patients be sure that these drugs are safe and effective?
Let’s take a behind-the-scenes look at compounded tirzepatide to see where it comes from, what it’s made of, and whether or not its production is held to a high standard.
Compounding pharmacies vs. counterfeit pharmacies
There are countless websites offering compounded medications such as compounded tirzepatide. As you can imagine, many of these websites are peddling counterfeit products and should not be trusted. It’s important to understand the differences between legitimate compounding pharmacies and counterfeit pharmacies.
In line with the FDA’s guidelines on choosing safe and trusted pharmacies, QuickMD only partners with compounding pharmacies that meet the following criteria approved by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies (NABP):
- Requires a prescription to dispense medication
- Operates under a licensed pharmacist
- Has a physical address in the United States
- Is licensed by their state pharmacy board
These criteria are signs of a legitimate pharmacy. Counterfeit pharmacies do not meet these requirements. If you are curious about a specific website, visit the NABP’s “Not Recommended list.” This site provides an alphabetized list of the thousands of fraudulent and unsafe websites selling medications.
How is compounded tirzepatide made?
To create compounded tirzepatide, the compounding pharmacy starts with a base drug called an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), which they obtain from an FDA-registered pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer. The pharmacy then combines the tirzepatide API with other approved ingredients needed to create a medication that is stable and injectable.
Compounded tirzepatide: Is it safe?
Compounded tirzepatide prescriptions are among millions of compounded medications created in the US each year. Though the FDA does not review the compounded drug final products, compounding pharmacies are required to meet high standards of quality and compliance:
- Substances used by compounding pharmacies must meet strict criteria set by the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) and US federal law.
- All medication ingredients used in compounding must come from FDA-registered facilities
- Every active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) has a certificate of analysis documenting the potency and purity of the drug
- The equipment that compounding pharmacies use is subject to inspection by state boards of pharmacy and by the FDA
Is compounded tirzepatide effective for weight loss?
At QuickMD, we receive a lot of positive feedback from patients prescribed compounded tirzepatide. Our patients tell us that they are doing very well on the medication, with a great number of patients losing unhealthy fat and achieving their goal weight.
What do operations inside a trusted compounding pharmacy look like?
Trusted compounding pharmacies follow strict processes and take extra steps to ensure the quality of their final products. At the heart of their operations are licensed pharmacists, but they also have other expert staff on hand, such as microbiologists and quality auditors, to ensure every batch of medication they send to patients is safe.
In addition to safety testing, high-quality compounding pharmacies conduct potency testing to ensure every batch of meds contains the correct dose and will therefore be effective. And, beyond maintaining high quality standards within their own pharmacy, trusted compounding pharmacies also conduct quality checks on the vendors they get their ingredients from, ensuring that the contents of their medications are high quality.
Compounded tirzepatide vs. brand-name Mounjaro
The way the medications are packaged and the type of syringe used to inject them are the most obvious differences between Mounjaro and compounded tirzepatide. Manufactured Mounjaro comes in a pre-filled “pen” containing a needle. Compounded tirzepatide comes in a vial, and the liquid in the vial must be drawn up into a syringe using a needle. To learn how to draw up and inject weight loss medication with a needle and syringe, watch our video.
Though the two medications look different, compounded tirzepatide from a licensed pharmacy and brand-name Mounjaro from the manufacturer both help patients lose weight in the same way. Put simply, tirzepatide (either manufactured or compounded) promotes a feeling of fullness and decreases appetite, which helps lower your food intake, making weight loss much more obtainable.
Ready to try compounded tirzepatide for weight loss?
QuickMD offers several weight loss medication options, including branded Mounjaro and nonbranded (compounded) tirzepatide. Check out our prescription weight loss solutions page to view our offerings—and when you’re ready, contact a QuickMD provider to get started on your journey to better health.
