Iowans are being warned to use extreme caution when taking weight loss drugs they bought online, because they either can’t afford or can’t find F-D-A-approved medications like Ozempic. Marisa Pruitt, a registered dietician with the Gundersen Health System, says there’s a lot of buzz about these so-called miracle weight loss drugs, and taking them without a doctor’s close guidance may be very risky.
When there are shortages, Pruitt says what’s known as “compounded” drugs will frequently appear on the market, and it’s often unclear exactly what’s in them. She says cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better buy.
Some of the medications that are being purchased online may actually work, but Pruitt says any money you might be saving is at the sacrifice of important supervision, which could put your health in jeopardy.
Patients should undergo a thorough medical evaluation, she says, before any weight loss drugs are prescribed. Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.
