STAT+: FDA confirms shortage of weight loss drug tirzepatide is over, gives compounders a grace period

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday confirmed that a shortage of Eli Lilly’s obesity drug tirzepatide has been resolved, a move that will soon put a stop to companies making cheaper copies of the injection.

The agency said it would give these compounders a grace period of 60 to 90 days before enforcing rules that would put a halt to their work, in an effort to avoid disruption for patients.

In early October, the FDA pulled Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide — which the company markets under the brand name Zepbound — off its drug shortage list after nearly two years. That should have prohibited compounding pharmacies from continuing to make copies of the drug, as they’re allowed to do so only when a treatment is on the shortage list. But after the trade group took the FDA to court, the agency made a sudden about-face, saying it would reconsider its decision and allow compounders to continue for the meantime.

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