Get your GLP-1 from a trusted pharmacy
A compounding pharmacy is defined as any pharmacy that provides medications not commercially available and prepares these medications onsite to meet specific patient needs.1 Compounding is supposed to be done on a small scale, by pharmacists who prepare the medication based on an individual’s prescription.2 However, oversight is often lacking.2
Compounding carries risks because it involves customising medications to individual patient needs by blending, altering or combining various ingredients, including multiple different medicines.2,3 Unlike registered medications, compounded medications are not officially assessed for safety, efficacy or quality.3 Patients are at risk of adverse effects and even unnecessary hospitalisations due to dosing errors or reactions to specific ingredients.3
In South Africa, there have been cases where serious deficiencies in compounding pharmacies’ regulatory compliance, quality and safety of their medications have possibly been found.4
Organisations like the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States of America have cautioned patients about the potential dangers of getting GLP-1 medications from compounding pharmacies.3,4
SAHPRA-approved medications are registered with the independent regulatory body of South Africa as effective and safe for use.5 If your doctor prescribes an antidiabetic medication that is SAHPRA-approved, please ensure that is what you receive from your local pharmacy.