The Ohio Attorney General's Office has sent warning letters to several medical spas across the state, including in the Dayton area.
A medical spa is a practice that offers wellness treatments and cosmetic medical procedures. The state accused 14 med spas of misleading customers about the safety of their versions of weight loss medications.
The FDA has approved ten GLP-1 medications for diabetes management, like Wegovy and Ozempic. Six are approved for weight management.
The demand recently exceeded FDA approved manufacturers' ability to keep up. That triggered laws allowing pharmacies to compound the drug themselves.
“And that's why you've seen a large proliferation of compounded and non FDA manufactured versions of these types of products on the market,” said Cameron McNamee, a director at the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Med spas began compounding and administering GPL-1 treatments, using the active ingredients, semaglutide and tirzepatide.
But, Yost’s office alleges they were misadvertising those alternatives as FDA approved or just as safe and effective. Those are also different from generic drugs, which are manufactured with FDA approval.
As of Feb. 28, 2025, the FDA reports it has received:
- more than 455 reports of adverse events with compounded semaglutide.
- more than 320 reports of adverse events with compounded tirzepatideFDA.gov
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy recently revoked the licenses of four med spas, including two in the Dayton area. Neither could be reached for comment.
The board cited concerns over their sourcing, and that the drugs weren’t compounded and administered in sterile conditions.
“So for example, importing sort of the bulk chemical from China, or people that we're importing a research-only chemical, meaning it couldn't be administered to patients,” McNamee said. “So, it was very concerning where they were sourcing the bulk materials to then compound these drugs.”
Manufacturers have now caught up with demand. This April, the FDA halted the sale of these compounded alternatives.
McNamee recommends visiting a primary care physician for a prescription and watching out for deeply discounted drugs or questionable sourcing.
“I think patients need to really take an active role and ask those questions of some of these clinics to make sure that they are safeguarding their own health,” McNamee said.
Drug licenses can be verified at elicense.ohio.gov.