Semaglutide and thyroid cancer

[Anonymous]

I’ve been looking into compound semaglutide and one of the warnings I’ve seen over and over is a possible connection to thyroid cancer. Can anyone tell me more about this?

[Anonymous]

Forget the thyroid cancer. Why would you even entertain the idea of taking something compounded? You have no idea what’s in it, nor does anyone else. It’s unregulated.

[Anonymous]

Yes there seems to be increased risk for thyroid cancer. But does that weigh out the risk if you're taking out for diabetes and/or weight loss? Only for you to say

[Anonymous]

Please don't get the compounded kind, it is not regulated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't get the compounded kind, it is not regulated.

Explain how compounded medications are not regulated.

[Anonymous]

From what I have read, it's a miniscule risk that was only measured in lab mice.

You're at far more risk of stroke and heart disease from untreated obesity.

[Anonymous]

The compound version is just as regulated as the original. I have personally taken both and the results are the same. The only difference is you can actually get the compound version.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't get the compounded kind, it is not regulated.

the pharmacies they come from are regulated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The compound version is just as regulated as the original. I have personally taken both and the results are the same. The only difference is you can actually get the compound version.

That’s incorrect:

Compounded medications are usually created using the active ingredients in drugs. In Ozempic’s and Wegovy’s case, that's semaglutide.

But compounded drugs — while they contain FDA-approved ingredients — are not themselves approved by the FDA, meaning they are not regulated, monitored or tested by the agency, said Benjamin Jolley, a pharmacist and owner of Jolley’s Compounding Pharmacy in Salt Lake City.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/ozempic-wegovy-semaglutide-compounding-weight-loss-safe-rcna72990


Are compounded drugs approved by FDA?

Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed. Consumers and health care professionals rely on FDA’s drug approval process for verification of safety, effectiveness and quality.

What are the risks associated with compounded drugs?

Compounded drugs should only be used in patients whose medical needs cannot be met by an FDA-approved drug. Unnecessary use of compounded drugs may expose patients to potentially serious health risks. For example, poor compounding practices can result in serious drug quality problems, such as contamination or a drug that contains too much or too little active ingredient. This can lead to serious patient injury and death.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/compounding-and-fda-questions-and-answers

[Anonymous]

Yes. I had thyca and every doctor has brought up for me to never take GLP-1s because of the risk of reoccurrence.

It's a new class of drugs with no long term data so you are rolling the dice. I expect it will become harder to see my doctor's as more people get diagnosed with thyroid cancers.

[Anonymous]

Doctor's no apostrophe needed. It's early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I had thyca and every doctor has brought up for me to never take GLP-1s because of the risk of reoccurrence.

It's a new class of drugs with no long term data so you are rolling the dice. I expect it will become harder to see my doctor's as more people get diagnosed with thyroid cancers.

Ozempic was approved in 2017 and of course there were trials and studies leading up to that. GLP-1s have been used for diabetes since 2005. I think OP raises a fair concern, because we never know as much as we like to and there are no lifetime studies yet, but "so many people will have cancer that I won't be able to see my doctor" is fear mongering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The compound version is just as regulated as the original. I have personally taken both and the results are the same. The only difference is you can actually get the compound version.

I have no trouble getting Mounjaro.

Or course, I have the disease it is intended to treat and am not someone looking to take a short cut to lose a few vanity pounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes there seems to be increased risk for thyroid cancer. But does that weigh out the risk if you're taking out for diabetes and/or weight loss? Only for you to say

Are you nuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I had thyca and every doctor has brought up for me to never take GLP-1s because of the risk of reoccurrence.

It's a new class of drugs with no long term data so you are rolling the dice. I expect it will become harder to see my doctor's as more people get diagnosed with thyroid cancers.

It's been in use for around 20 years.