HARTFORD, CT — In response to growing safety concerns over unauthorized weight loss drugs, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has filed a lawsuit against Triggered Brand, a Florida-based company accused of illegally marketing unapproved injectable medications directly to consumers.
The legal action, announced Wednesday, alleges the company violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act by promoting and selling a research-grade GLP-1 medication online, falsely presenting it as safe and effective for public use.
Dangerous Alternatives Filling the Gap in Demand
The surge in popularity of GLP-1 agonists — a class of medications commonly prescribed for diabetes and increasingly used off-label for weight loss — has created a supply shortage, fueling a black market of unregulated alternatives. In the wake of this shortage, consumers have been turning to the internet in search of cheaper and more accessible versions, often without fully understanding the risks.
“These are serious medications. Buying them online from an unverified source — where you receive a bag of powder and inject it yourself — is incredibly dangerous,” said Tong. “It defies common sense and poses a significant threat to public health.”
Steep Penalties and Broader Investigations
The lawsuit seeks financial penalties of up to $5,000 for each instance in which the company broke the law. In addition, Tong’s office is broadening its investigation to include other players in the illicit drug market, including international online marketplaces such as “Made in China,” which is suspected of misleading consumers through deceptive listings.
“We are seeing a proliferation of unsafe, unverified products being sold directly to people who are desperate for results. This is not just illegal — it’s reckless,” Tong stated.
The attorney general also warned Connecticut-based medical spas and wellness clinics to immediately stop offering or selling unauthorized compounded weight loss medications, noting that the emergency compounding exemptions put in place during the initial GLP-1 shortage are no longer applicable.
Medical Experts Urge Caution
Dr. Alissa Chen, a physician at the Yale School of Medicine, echoed Tong’s concerns, emphasizing the dangers posed by unregulated substances. According to her, many patients are misled by marketing tactics that make these products appear safe and effective, when in reality, they may be anything but.
“The issue isn’t just the drug itself — it’s the fact that there’s no oversight,” Dr. Chen explained. “These products aren’t monitored by the FDA, so we don’t know if the dosage is accurate or what contaminants might be present.”
Such uncertainty, she said, can result in severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, or even more serious health complications.
The Role of Doctors in Guiding Patients
Dr. Chen encourages patients to be proactive and consult their healthcare providers when considering weight loss treatments, especially if they come across products online.
“If a patient brought me a website they were considering purchasing from, I would actually welcome that,” she said. “That gives me the opportunity to help them understand what’s legitimate and what’s potentially harmful.”
A Broader Public Health Wake-Up Call
This legal battle highlights a broader issue: the gap between patient demand for effective weight loss solutions and the ability of the healthcare system to meet that demand safely. While drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have shown promise for weight loss, their high price and limited availability have pushed many toward unsafe options.
As regulatory scrutiny increases, both government officials and medical professionals are urging the public to remain cautious and to avoid taking shortcuts with their health.
“Don’t gamble with your body,” Tong warned. “The risks are simply too high.”
Conclusion
As Connecticut moves forward with legal action against those peddling unapproved weight loss treatments, state officials and physicians alike are sounding the alarm: unauthorized, unregulated medications pose serious dangers. The best course of action remains one grounded in professional medical advice and FDA-approved therapies — not unverified solutions found on the internet.
