SEMAGLUTIDE/GLP-1 COMPOUNDED: WHAT TO AVOID TO SAVE $ Ina Garten’s Easy Gazpacho Soup, Cold Soup for Hot Days A Question to Ponder for ALL Ages Skin Care Special: ALL Sunscreens 15% Off, Don’t Burn Your Skin! Summer Hours Closing at 3pm on Fridays; Employee Family and Fun Time

Personally, I have seen that many of you are on the “compounded” version of semaglutide to save money. What this means is that it is made by a pharmacy, not from the pharmaceutical companies that make Wegovy, Ozempic, or Rybelsus. Semaglutide is the active ingredient of these medications. A compounded version is also not a “generic” form which again is made by a pharmaceutical company. The FDA allows compounded versions when there is a greater demand for a medication than the pharmaceutical companies can manufacture.

Many turn to compounded medications to save money. Pharmaceutical companies charge in excess of $1,000/month. Unless your insurance company covers it for diabetes or heart disease, compounded meds are the option for weight loss. Many can be purchased for around $300.

(Did You Know? 6% of U.S. adults have tried injectable weight-loss drugs.)

There are several concerns with compounded medications. The first is that without getting it from a state accredited pharmacy you don’t know the actual dose of the active ingredient nor do you know about any contaminants. Since the FDA doesn’t approve compounded medications, they also don’t verify their safety.

Besides ensuring that the compounding pharmacy is state accredited, a doctor needs to order the GLP-1 with a prescription. DO NOT get any of these meds over the internet without a prescription! Some of you may not feel comfortable with compounded meds despite a prescription. Discuss the pros and cons with your physician.

-Sumathi Reddy, WSJ

Ina Garten’s Easy Gazpacho Soup; A Cold Soup for Hot Days

Add 2–28-ounce cans of plum tomatoes (like San Marzano) into a food processor. Deseed and coarsely chop a cucumber, two red bell peppers, half a red onion, and 4 scallions. Pulse until consistency you want the soup to be. Transfer to a bowl and add ½ cup of olive oil, ½ cup red wine vinegar and 2/3 cup of tomato juice (I used V-8). She adds two tablespoons of tomato paste and I also added a tablespoon of fish sauce for Unami flavor. Add celery salt and crushed red peppers to taste along with one tablespoon of salt and half a tablespoon of pepper. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours or make it the day before. It just gets better. Top with sour cream as you serve it. Serves 6-8.

“I have been a client of Peter’s for over 25 years. Breast reduction and tummy tuck. Peter is an amazing doctor and is the only Plastic Surgeon who I will ever trust. Kind, caring and trustworthy.” B.C. (aside, this is not my mother)

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