(Wired) – Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are in shortage, and telehealth startups are selling “compounded” versions. A WIRED investigation looks at how easy it is to order these meds online.

They’re the Taylor Swift Eras Tour of pharmaceuticals: Supply is limited, prices are sky-high, and even people who couldn’t care less are at least ambiently aware of what’s happening.

When drugs are officially in shortage, the US allows pharmacies to make their own “compounded” versions of them. Compounded medications are essentially custom copies; unlike generic medications, which are FDA-approved drugs without brand names that are introduced into markets after patents expire, compounded drugs are intended as substitutes provided for specific reasons (like drug shortages) and are not subject to the same approval processes. In essence, dupes are legalized. (Read More)