Patients turn to 'gray market' for cheaper obesity drugs, but it's risky

4 weeks ago

Patients who want a deeper discount connected obesity meds than compounding pharmacies tin connection are turning to nan grey market, wherever they bargain nan earthy progressive constituent from China and hole it themselves.

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

Patients are clamoring to get their hands connected obesity medications for illustration Wegovy and Zepbound, but moreover pinch shaper discounts, their precocious prices tin put them retired of reach. So immoderate patients are doing thing they telephone going gray. NPR's Sydney Lupkin looked into this arena for an section of Planet Money, and she has this report.

SYDNEY LUPKIN, BYLINE: When Phil started taking Ozempic successful 2022, he was amazed astatine really good it worked. His humor activity looked better. He was nary longer prediabetic. He was losing weight. Ozempic is approved to dainty Type 2 diabetes, but is sometimes prescribed for weight loss. But he says possibly nan champion portion was that it besides quieted his addictive tendencies.

PHIL: Literally, nan bourbon successful my freezer sat successful my freezer for probably, I would opportunity possibly till Christmas aliases thing for illustration that. And I - like, I took 1 portion and I was like, what are you doing?

LUPKIN: In nan past, he'd had problems pinch medicine painkillers and alcohol. We're not utilizing his past sanction aliases location because he could suffer his job. When Phil's wellness security changed, however, it wouldn't screen Ozempic for him anymore. So alternatively of a $25 copay, Phil would person to salary much than a 1000 dollars a month.

PHIL: As thankful arsenic I americium for them to create this - you know, I'm very thankful for that - but I deliberation it's disgusting that they make this drug, and - that's life-changing, and past truthful galore group can't spend it.

LUPKIN: So he started looking online for different options. He recovered compounded versions of nan drugs. They aren't approved by nan FDA, but were allowed while obesity narcotics were successful short proviso complete nan past mates of years. And he recovered thing other - nan grey market. He showed maine this summer.

PHIL: This is nan point it came in.

LUPKIN: Oh, just, like...

PHIL: Oh.

LUPKIN: ...A box. It looks for illustration nan size of a contact...

PHIL: Yeah.

LUPKIN: ...Lens box.

PHIL: Yeah.

LUPKIN: In his hands, Phil is holding 10 months' worthy of tirzepatide, nan progressive constituent successful Zepbound, an obesity medicine made by Eli Lilly. The small carton is covered successful a operation of Chinese and English words.

PHIL: Multi-effect, young tegument set.

LUPKIN: What?

PHIL: Yeah.

LUPKIN: So it's disguised?

PHIL: Yeah. It's disguised.

LUPKIN: Inside nan box, location are 10 small vials pinch large reddish caps. Each of them holds 30 milligrams of achromatic powder. He makes his ain medicine by mixing it pinch sterile h2o and past injects himself. In 2 years, Phil says he hasn't had immoderate problems, but location are immense risks, including of getting contaminated aliases counterfeit products. That's according to Dr. Scott Isaacs, president of nan American Association of Clinical Endocrinology.

SCOTT ISAACS: They could get an infection. They could person a reaction. They could person terrible broadside effects from dosing errors. They could besides person a deficiency of effect. And that's astir apt nan biggest point that I've seen, is erstwhile patients return these, is that it does nothing.

LUPKIN: Still, he says he tin empathize pinch patients who consciousness for illustration they don't person immoderate different choice.

ISAACS: The bottommost statement is that they're really conscionable trying to get a medicine that they need.

LUPKIN: He says it's cardinal to pass pinch your doctor, who whitethorn beryllium capable to person security to screen nan supplier anyway. Dr. Tony Cirillo is nan president of nan American College of Emergency Physicians. He says ER doctors person seen patients pinch complications from taking either grey marketplace aliases compounded obesity medicines, but they don't ever opportunity which.

TONY CIRILLO: Look, we - peculiarly successful emergency department, we return attraction of a batch of group who person done a batch of things that possibly not was their proudest moment. Doesn't matter to us.

LUPKIN: He says they're location to return attraction of patients, and getting nan afloat communicative is simply a large help.

CIRILLO: So these are not benign medications without due monitoring and supervision.

LUPKIN: Cirillo says do not hesitate to spell to nan ER if you deliberation you're having an emergency.

Sydney Lupkin, NPR News.

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