The FDA's approval of semaglutide ensures that patients receive a medication manufactured in a controlled environment, minimizing the risks associated with variability and contamination
Oral medications that require an acidic gastric environment for optimal absorption may be affected by the changes in gastric pH that can occur with delayed gastric emptying
Beverly Tchang, MD, DABOM , Ro Obesity Medicine Advisor and endocrinologist, sums this up well: Compounded semaglutide is not standardizedone compounded semaglutide is not the same as another compounded semaglutide, and none of them have been tested in clinical trials for safety or efficacy. Compounding pharmacies also prepare compounded semaglutide to meet demand and patient needs during drug shortages, which have affected Ozempic and Wegovy on an on-and-off basis since March 2022
Maintaining adequate hydration is paramount, particularly given semaglutide's gastrointestinal side effects
Most clinical guidelines suggest that there is no direct contraindication for using semaglutide in patients with common, benign (non-cancerous) thyroid conditions like hypothyroidism or Hashimotos disease