‘Who knows what they’re taking?’: people risk the gray market for the newest weight-loss drug
Retatrutide, not yet approved by the FDA, is the latest wonder drug to shed pounds despite warnings from doctors About two years ago, Henry, who is 6ft 3in, weighed 210lb, which meant he was only slightly overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention body mass index. Still, the thirtysomething who lives in the Pacific north-west had hypertension, sleep apnea and body…
The FDA has not yet approved a new weight-loss drug called retatrutide, but it is gaining popularity among people seeking to shed pounds. This drug, manufactured by Eli Lilly, targets not just GLP-1 receptors, like Ozempic, but also two other hormone receptors and glucagon. Clinical trials show that retatrutide can lead to significant weight loss, with patients losing up to 55 pounds.
However, doctors strongly warn against using this drug without medical supervision, as it could pose serious health risks due to the lack of regulation and oversight. Despite these warnings, many people are turning to the gray market to purchase retatrutide, often buying it online from sellers in China. Physicians express concern about the self-prescribing nature of this market, where patients are unaware of the drug's purity, dosage, and potential contaminants.
As more patients try to obtain the drug through unregulated channels, the risk of adverse effects increases, highlighting the need for a controlled, medical approach to its usage.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
