In the wake of a recent FDA warning, healthcare professionals are increasingly concerned about the risk of overdoses from medications used for diabetes and weight loss. The alert highlights a growing issue as patients turn to these drugs for purposes beyond their intended use.
Gretchen Kunze, a pharmacist with Gundersen Health System, reports a surge in the use of these medications, particularly for weight loss. “While these drugs are often prescribed for Type 2 diabetes, we’re seeing a significant increase in their use for weight management,” Kunze said.
The pharmacist attributes some overdose cases to incorrect dosing and usage instructions, exacerbated by patients seeking medications from less reputable sources. “We’ve seen instances where individuals turn to alternative providers after their primary care physicians decline to prescribe these medications,” Kunze explained. “This has been partly due to a reluctance among some providers to prescribe these drugs outside their initial diabetes indication.”
Kunze also pointed to barriers in accessing these medications, noting that some providers are hesitant to prescribe them for weight loss or other non-diabetes-related conditions. This hesitancy has led patients to seek prescriptions from telehealth providers, which can sometimes result in inadequate guidance and increased risk of overdose.
As the healthcare community grapples with these challenges, Kunze emphasizes the importance of proper dosing and reputable sources for obtaining these medications to prevent potentially dangerous outcomes.
