Will an FDA crackdown curb access to cheaper GLP-1 weight-loss drugs? Here’s what to know.

September 24, 2026 / 11:53 AM EDT / CBS News

The Food and Drug Administration has warned a major compounding pharmacy that it violated federal law by making copies of blockbuster weight-loss drugs in "inordinate amounts."

The letter to Empower Pharmacy marks the first time the FDA has waded into a fierce debate about when a pharmacy's legitimate work of customizing a medication crosses the line into mass-copying of patented FDA-approved drugs.

The FDA's warning, dated Sept. 18 but posted online Tuesday, gives Houston-based Empower an opportunity to comply with the FDA's requirements. In a statement, Empower said it has "already remediated many of the issues outlined in the Warning Letter," adding that it will "continue to work cooperatively with the agency to ensure patient access to quality compounded drug products."

Empower openly advertises two of the most popular medications on its website, which are available to healthcare providers and not directly to consumers.

Compounding pharmacies have traditionally custom-tailored medications for individual patients, such as making a liquid solution for someone who can't swallow a pill. Regulators inspect their facilities but don't review the medications they make. Because of this, the FDA says it can't offer the same safety assurances…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/