Date: March 6, 2025
Source: The Hill
In a game-changing ruling, a federal judge in Texas has stopped compounding pharmacies from making affordable versions of Eli Lilly’s blockbuster weight loss drugs, Zepbound and Mounjaro. On March 5, 2025, Judge Mark Pittman upheld the FDA’s call that tirzepatide, the active ingredient in these GLP-1 drugs, is no longer in shortage. This ends a practice that let compounders offer lower-cost alternatives to these sought-after diabetes and obesity treatments.
For medspas, this is big news. Compounded drugs—cheaper than branded versions—were a go-to for many offering weight loss treatments. Now, smaller pharmacies must stop production immediately, and larger FDA-regulated outsourcing facilities have until March 19, 2025, to wind down. The decision came after the Outsourcing Facilities Association (OFA) sued the FDA, claiming the agency’s move jacked up drug prices and hurt patient access. Eli Lilly, meanwhile, cheered the ruling, slamming unapproved copies as risky.
What’s next? Medspa owners may face higher costs for branded drugs, potentially reshaping client care and pricing. A similar fight over semaglutide is still in play, so stay tuned. This shift could push medspas to rethink how they deliver these trending anti-obesity solutions.
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