What's in that miracle drug?

The growing popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy-drugs that can bring on dramatic weight loss-has opened up a whole new kind of business in the wellness world. But what's being prescribed in some places isn't exactly what's FDA-approved. Here's what you need to know.

- EMILY GOLDMAN

for TikTok beauty influencer Ashley Raibick, 28, trying semaglutide was a no-brainer. That's the active ingredient in Ozempic (a drug for type 2 diabetes), and Wegovy (for people with obesity), and it has become renowned for how much weight people can lose while taking it.

Raibick doesn't have diabetes and says she might not appear to be among those the drug is intended to help lose weight (those with a body mass index, or BMI, of 27 or higher), but "when something bothers me, I fix it," she says. "I believe in doing whatever you can to make yourself feel and look your best in the beauty industry."

Ozempic and Wegovy both require a prescription, so you might expect someone to get them at a doctor's office. However, like many others who may not have clinical obesity-a BMI of 30 or greater-or type 2 diabetes, she was prescribed a course of it by an M.D. at a medical-center-and-spa hybrid known as a med spa. (Prevention no longer uses BMI as an indicator of health, but for these drugs it's part of the manufacturer and FDA guidelines.)

Many people looking for the power of Ozempic or Wegovy end up with a prescription for compounded semaglutide, which is a custom-made version that may be combined with something else, such as vitamins. But is it safe and legal to take the drug in this form? The answer-as with many things connected to weight loss and pharmaceuticals-is complicated.

The siren call of semaglutide