MARK KERR And CHRISTOPHER NEIWEEM: Trump And Kennedy Should Crack Down On Fake Weight Loss Drugs
One of us is a former UFC Champion, and the other is an Army veteran who served in the Second Iraq War, and now we both live without a daily physical regimen meant to keep us in fighting shape. To stay lean, we keep…
One of us is a former UFC Champion, and the other is an Army veteran who served in the Second Iraq War, and now we both live without a daily physical regimen meant to keep us in fighting shape. To stay lean, we keep active and regulate what we eat.
While we are lucky that we have the skill sets to remain fit, there are millions of Americans that struggle to maintain their weight and are fighting a losing battle with being overweight. Shockingly, nearly half of Americans (43%) are obese – a terrible statistic.
People often ask us for advice about how to improve their bodies. While we can advise on diet and supplements, it’s hard to ignore the use of the new miracle drugs that are helping people lose weight.
This is why we applaud President Donald Trump, who recently ensured that weight loss drugs, like Zepbound and Wegovy, are now covered by Medicaid and Medicare. It’s important that people have access to these treatments, regardless of their wealth or status. This is a serious accomplishment for the White House and will make millions of Americans slimmer and healthier.
But something else that the Trump administration needs to start addressing, are the fake varieties of these weight loss drugs being sold. Watch an online movie or surf the Internet, and you are likely being bombarded by advertisements for these discount diet drugs. These knock offs are known as compounded drugs.
But compounded drugs are not the same as the brand name versions, and they are not proven as either safe or effective. Yes, you read that right. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no idea if these medications work. This statement is actually on the FDA website: “Compounded drugs are not FDA approved, which means the agency does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality…”
If the FDA doesn’t know if these drugs are safe or effective, how are they even allowed to be sold?
Between 2022 and 2024, when there wasn’t enough of the brand name weight loss drugs, in order to alleviate shortages, the FDA allowed compounders to sell knock-off versions of these medications.