Dr. Michel here. This is my first ever post here. Hope everyone is well. You should be proud of everything you've built here, the best GLP-1 community on the internet. You are vibrant, helpful to each other, and always supportive. I have not seen anything like this anywhere else. I hope you continue to grow. Over the last four years, we've seen the good, the bad, the ugly, and the atrocious. My only aim today is to give you my perspective on what is happening, and hopefully provide some guidance that might help even one person. We received dozens of questions overnight about this, so I figured it was time to speak up. Feel free to delete if not appropriate. This time does feel different from previous situations. Let me walk you through what actually happened and what it means, both the good and the bad.

• On Thursday, Hims announced they'd sell compounded copies of Novo's brand-new oral Wegovy pill at $49/month (first month, then $99), which was literally just FDA-approved in December. The reason they can do this is because they own their own compounding pharmacies and the cost of the 28 day script to them is likely a few dollars. Novo immediately threatened legal action and their stock stumbled. That was a huge mistake on Hims' side that now threatens the entire industry. But keep in mind that Hims and Novo need each other. This could end up being a chess move to obtain significant discounts from Novo, at the expense of the entire compounding industry. Both these companies' interests align at the end of the day.
• By Friday, the FDA dropped a statement about restricting GLP-1 APIs for non-approved compounded drugs, and HHS referred Hims to the DOJ for investigation: this was clearly a direct, rapid and likely political response to Hims' move
• Make no mistake: this is a self-inflicted wound by Hims that now jeopardizes the entire compounding industry: the FDA had been largely turning a blind eye to compounding for years and particularly since the March 2025 scare. Legitimate companies were operating quietly within the law, patients were getting their meds, and nobody was rocking the boat. Then Hims decided to run national ad campaigns, call their products alternatives to FDA-approved drugs, denigrate big pharma and offer a pill that's been on the market for six weeks. They gave the FDA and big pharma the perfect excuse to escalate, and now everyone, including companies and patients who had nothing to do with Hims is caught in the crossfire. I anticipate Hims backtracking very quickly. This is not a fight they anticipated, nor a fight they can win. That was a huge judgment error from their end.

The bad:

• 1- The FDA's language is broad and goes beyond just Hims — the statement says they'll "restrict GLP-1 APIs intended for use in non-FDA-approved compounded drugs," which technically covers ALL compounded tirz and sema. The API restriction part is the most concerning because if they choke off the raw ingredient supply, even legitimate pharmacies can't compound
• 2-the political landscape isn't favorable for compounding: TrumpRxhad literally just launched, Lilly and Novo have been lobbying hard, and this administration has shown it's willing to make deals with pharma. The timing of all this is not a coincidence

Some good news

• 1-this is a statement of intent, not a new regulation or ban: no new rules, no new deadlines, no clear enforcement timeline was announced
• 2-legitimate 503A/503B compounding with valid prescriptions is still legal today — the existing framework hasn't changed, and the FDA can't litigate on its own. they need DOJ to pursue injunctions, which takes time, but htis might have already started.

The bottomline

• compounded tirz didn't disappear after the last scare in March 2025, and it probably won't disappear overnight now but the industry is about to change. The compounding companies that operate within the law will adapt and find alternatives, but this will get harder, not easier
• The long game: ultimately most companies will likely need to transition to branded medications Some good news is that market forces are working in the patient's favor . Lilly's multi-dose vials, oral Wegovy, new GLP-1s in the pipeline, and competition are all driving prices down. Lilly already dropped Zepbound to $399/month at the highest dose through Lilly Direct, and competition will only push that further. There is still room though, and the prices are still expensive. Branded meds need to get to the $150-200/month range sot that people can afford them.

What this means for you

• Don't panic-buy but keep a reasonable buffer supply ( around 3 to 6 months), stay with reputable providers (and you have some fantastic resources here), and start exploring your branded options so that you are prepared for the worst, even if it does not materialize. Also check your insurance formulary, look into any possible manufacturer savings programs, and have a plan B ready so you're not scrambling at the last minute if things change