Pharmacists Should Verify Supplier Quality for Compounded GLP-1s

As the demand for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists continues to skyrocket, compounding pharmacists find themselves at a critical intersection of patient need and regulatory scrutiny. The ability to provide safe, high-quality compounded alternatives has become a vital service—but it is one fraught with sourcing risks and a gray market that has been making headlines in recent weeks.

“I like to think that compounding actually begins at the loading dock or maybe even further,” Annie Lambert, PharmD, BCSCP, clinical program manager for compliance solutions at Wolters Kluwer and board-certified compounding expert, told Drug Topics. “It does take some persistence to determine the actual source of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and confirm the quality standards that a vendor adheres to. Sourcing API from FDA-registered facilities and carefully reviewing the certificate of analysis (CoA) against USP monographs is essential to qualifying the product against the reference.”

In this interview, Lambert dives into the nuts and bolts of GLP-1 compounding amid legal battles and quality concerns circulating in the industry—exploring the rigorous due diligence required to verify suppliers and the clinical nuances of counseling patients. From identifying “research use only” red flags to implementing robust quality management processes, she outlined the steps necessary to ensure that patient safety remains the top priority.

For pharmacists navigating this explosive therapeutic category, understanding the nuances of the supply chain—and knowing how to defend the integrity of your preparations—has never been more critical.

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