Consumers urged to avoid purchasing popular weight-loss drug from illegal sources 

Amid the rising popularity of the weight-loss drug tirzepatide, consumers are being urged to avoid purchasing it through unauthorized channels, where the medicine may be illegally compounded and pose various health risks, according to pharmaceutical company Zuellig Pharma on Wednesday.

“Zuellig Pharma strongly urges consumers not to purchase tirzepatide or similar prescription medicines from social media platforms, unauthorized online sellers, or other unregulated sources,” the company said in a statement.

“Patients who are unsure about the authenticity or source of their medication should consult their doctor or pharmacist immediately,” it added.

The company warns that the use of illegally compounded tirzepatide poses significant health risks, including improper dosing that may lead to severe adverse effects, as well as possible impurities and contamination due to the lack of regulatory oversight.

It said that these unapproved products lack clinical safety and efficacy data and may expose patients to unforeseen health risks, as they have not undergone evaluation by authorities such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines.

Healthcare professionals are urged to prescribe only FDA-approved treatments and to educate patients on the risks associated with unregulated medications, Zuellig Pharma said.

Other health organizations, such as the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), also released a statement earlier warning the public against the use of compounded tirzepatide that is not registered with FDA.

Tirzepatide has recently gained popularity due to its dual-action mechanism, which helps regulate both blood sugar and body weight.

It is a prescription medication that acts as a dual receptor agonist of GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Locally, Mounjaro KwikPen is the only tirzepatide product approved by the FDA Philippines as of this writing, and is exclusively distributed by Zuellig Pharma. — Edg Adrian A. Eva