Attorney General Sends Letters to Connecticut Distributors Demanding They Stop Selling Fake Ozempic

Attorney General William Tong is stepping up Connecticut’s efforts against the growing market for bootleg GLP-1 weight loss drugs. In his latest move, Tong sent cease-and-desist letters to three weight-loss spas across Avon, Brookfield, and Danbury after investigators found the clinics were advertising and prescribing compounded versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide—popular GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro—despite the fact that no FDA-approved generic versions of these drugs currently exist. The Attorney General warned that marketing compounded GLP-1s as legitimate or FDA-approved violates state consumer protection laws and puts patient safety at risk.

The clinics—CT Weight Loss Shot, Vigorous 360 Wellness, and Radiance Medspa—were ordered to stop making misleading claims about their products and to ensure that only licensed medical professionals are involved in their operations. Tong emphasized that many of the businesses are owned or controlled by non-healthcare providers who have no authority to operate medical clinics in Connecticut. He also noted that the misleading marketing falsely implies that the drugs have gone through clinical trials or FDA approval when they have not.

This crackdown follows a settlement reached in August with Triggered Brand, a company accused of selling bootleg GLP-1 injections. That settlement required the company to stop selling unauthorized injections and imposed a $300,000 judgment, most of which is suspended unless the company violates the agreement. Meanwhile, Tong’s investigation into the international platform Made in China continues, after the site was found to be promoting so-called “research grade” GLP-1 drugs to U.S. consumers as injectable weight-loss products. The company has since reported that it has stopped marketing these products in response to the inquiry.

Tong has repeatedly reminded Connecticut clinics and med spas that compounded GLP-1s can no longer be marketed to the general public. He points to FDA warnings about the risks linked to these products, including dosing mistakes, questionable overseas sourcing, and documented adverse events, some requiring medical attention. Despite these warnings, some clinics continue to advertise compounded injections as if they were safe, FDA-approved alternatives to well-known drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. Tong made clear that his office is prepared to act against businesses that continue this misleading conduct.

The Attorney General is also urging federal action. Earlier this year, Tong joined a bipartisan coalition of more than three dozen states asking the FDA to take stronger enforcement steps against online retailers selling GLP-1 drug ingredients without prescriptions under the guise of “research use only.” These sellers often advertise on social media, promising cheaper versions of brand-name drugs while buying ingredients from unregulated sources that may contain contaminants or unknown additives.

Tong and other attorneys general argue that the FDA has the expertise and authority to shut down these dangerous practices and to crack down on counterfeit drug manufacturers and unauthorized suppliers. They also called on the agency to work with state pharmacy boards to ensure compounding pharmacies meet safety standards. In Tong’s view, protecting patients from unsafe, unapproved weight-loss drugs requires stronger, coordinated action—both in Connecticut and nationwide.

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