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Bypassing Prescribers and Pharmacists: Online Purchasing of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide "For Research Purposes".

Ann Pharmacother · 2025

Last updated 2026-05-28

Manufacturers are selling vials of semaglutide and tirzepatide directly to consumers without a prescription, marketed as "for research purposes only" or "not for human consumption." These sales bypass prescribers and pharmacists, raising concerns about product quality, proper dosing, and the ability to monitor health risks or drug interactions.

AI summary of the abstract below.

JournalAnn Pharmacother, 2025
Citations5
Relative citation ratio2.24
Molecules semaglutide, tirzepatide
Conditions studied Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Unscrupulous manufacturers provide consumers with ways to circumvent access controls by purchasing drug products outside the legitimate prescription drug supply chain. Manufacturers are selling vials containing semaglutide and tirzepatide to consumers without a prescription for "research purposes only" and/or "not for human consumption," but frequently without the supplies and knowledge they would need to dissolve the active ingredient, draw it up into a syringe, and inject it into the body. Avoiding prescribers allows consumer access to products where the risk may outweigh the benefits and quality standards may not be met. It also makes it difficult to prevent drug interactions or perform adequate patient monitoring and follow-up.

Verbatim abstract via PubMed 39285774 ↗

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