Unregulated copycat drugs exploit Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable

By State Rep. Justin Fleming

In Pennsylvania, too many families know the devastating toll obesity and related chronic diseases can take. Access to safe, effective medications can change lives, and when you need medication, you want to trust that it’s real – and that it’s safe.

But now, shady companies are putting that trust – and the health of Pennsylvanians – at risk.

Across the country, unregulated compounding pharmacies are selling knockoff versions of GLP-1 medications with zero FDA approval. They often use untested or contaminated ingredients and bypass the strict safety and quality controls that real, FDA-approved drugs must meet. These copycat products are flooding the market under the guise of affordability, luring in patients with aggressive online ads and false promises.

And