Attorney General Tong Sues GLP-1 Weight Loss Drug Distributor Triggered Brand, Announces Investigation Into Made In China Over Sale of Untested, Unsafe "Research-Grade" Drugs to Connecticut Consumers

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05/21/2025

Attorney General Tong Sues GLP-1 Weight Loss Drug Distributor Triggered Brand, Announces Investigation Into Made In China Over Sale of Untested, Unsafe "Research-Grade" Drugs to Connecticut Consumers

Letter to Connecticut Weight Loss Clinics Warns Against Unlawful Sale of Compounded Weight Loss Drugs Not Approved by FDA

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today announced enforcement actions against two online distributors of bootleg GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Both sell “research grade” GLP-1 peptides direct to Connecticut consumers for weight loss without prescriptions or any medical oversight. “Research Grade” GLP-1s are not FDA approved for human use, and studies have found that bootleg GLP-1s can contain impurities, potential bacterial contamination, and inconsistent quantities of active ingredients, which can result in medication overdoses.

The lawsuit names Triggered Brand, a Florida-based company, alleging violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and statutes prohibiting the practice of pharmacy without a license. While Triggered Brand nominally claims to sell lab supplies, its social media marketing and Trigged Brand’s website explicitly target consumers looking for GLP-1 weight loss injections. The complaint seeks civil penalties of up to $5,000 for each violation.

Attorney General Tong has also issued a Civil Investigative Demand to Made In China, a Chinese international trade platform that advertises and sells “research grade” GLP-1s to United States consumers as injectable weight loss medications. The Civil Investigative Demand seeks information about Made in China and its affiliates’ marketing and sales of “research grade” GLP-1s, as well as information about the factories that manufacture “research grade” GLP-1s sold on its platform. Sellers on Made in China’s online marketplace have freely advertised semaglutide, tirzepatide, and other GLP-1 inhibitors as weight loss injections. Sellers on Made in China’s platform have also advertised that they can mail products in packaging meant to evade customs enforcement.

Attorney General Tong today also sent letters to Connecticut weight loss clinics and med spas warning them that they can no longer market GLP-1 drugs produced by compounding pharmacies. The letter notes that the FDA has identified multiple health and safety concerns associated with these compounded weight loss drugs, including dosing errors, use of salt forms sourced from overseas factories with spotty inspection records, and multiple adverse event reports, including some requiring medical intervention. Despite this, many Connecticut healthcare providers continue to inappropriately advertise and prescribe these compounded GLP-1 medications, often claiming falsely that such drugs are FDA-approved or are “generic” versions of Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Mounjaro ®, or Zepbound®.

The letter cautions that advertising and sale of these compounded medications may violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. The Office of the Attorney General is prepared to take appropriate action against businesses and individuals who continue to engage in the unfair and deceptive conduct described above.

“Online bootleggers and compounding pharmacies are taking advantage of the massive demand for affordable weight loss treatment. These products are unauthorized and may be unsafe, and we are taking action to warn providers, to stop the flow of illegal medications into Connecticut, and to hold bad actors accountable,” said Attorney General Tong. “Do not buy these meds online without a prescription. Talk to your doctor and pharmacy, and do not take risks with these untested and potentially adulterated knockoffs.”

“While many people are turning to GLP-1s to kickstart a healthier life, it is critical to do that only under the supervision of a doctor, with a prescription, and to only obtain the drugs through a legitimate pharmacy,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “Taking any medication purchased through an unknown and unlicensed online retailer is dangerous, and can result in significant health problems, overdoses and other complications. Companies who advertise bootleg or counterfeit medications as safe are taking advantage of high demand for these products without consideration for your health and safety.”

GLP-1 Medications and Bootleg Versions

In 2021 and 2023, respectively, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved two drugs, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy® and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound®, for chronic weight management. Both are GLP-1 inhibitors administered as injections, which help regulate blood sugar and appetite. The active ingredient in Wegovy® is the peptide semaglutide; the active ingredient in Zepbound® is the peptide tirzepatide.

These are prescription medications that may be sold only by pharmacies upon receipt of a valid prescription by a licensed healthcare provider. It is illegal to sell GLP-1s for human injection without a pharmacist’s license and a prescription identifying the individual patient for whom the medication is prescribed. No comparable standards exist for companies selling raw peptides and other compounds to laboratories for scientific research. These are not FDA approved for human or veterinary use. Bad actors, including Triggered and Made in China.com now exploit that lack of regulatory oversight to sell research-grade semaglutide and tirzepatide direct to consumers for personal use. These bootleg products have been found to contain impurities, including possible bacterial contamination, as well as inconsistent quantities of active ingredients. Research-grade compounded drugs are typically manufactured overseas, under standards not meant for human consumption. The products are untested and unregulated. Consumers who purchase and use these products must reconstitute the powders on their own into an injectable form. There is no oversight from doctors, enabling anyone to purchase these products, including those who are not overweight and may be suffering from eating disorders.

Compounded GLP-1 medications also remain widely available, even though the FDA no longer permits compounders to manufacture them in bulk now that shortages of Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Mounjaro®, and Zepbound® have resolved. The compounded medications are often inaccurately described as “generic” versions of semaglutide or tirzepatide, and some contain vitamin or other additives, even though the FDA has not approved any such drug combinations. The FDA has not approved any oral formulations of GLP-1 medications to treat obesity, and oral GLP-1 medications manufactured by compounding pharmacies have not been shown to deliver safe or effective doses of semaglutide or tirzepatide. Importantly, the FDA has approved Wegovy® and Zepbound® only for chronic weight management in adults with diagnoses of either obesity or overweight and a weight-related comorbidity (e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes). GLP-1 medications are not FDA-approved for cosmetic purposes.

Bipartisan Coalition Seeks Stronger Federal Action

In February, Attorney General Tong joined a 38-state and territory bipartisan coalition requesting that the Food and Drug Administration take swift action against bad actors endangering consumers with counterfeit forms of the weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro®, Zepbound®, Ozempic®, and Wegovy® (GLP-1 drugs).

The letter stated that “online retailers are illegally selling the active ingredients of GLP-1 drugs directly to consumers, without a prescription. These retailers claim that the active ingredients they sell are ‘for research purposes only’ or ‘not for human consumption’. In reality, these companies advertise directly to consumers on social media, claiming that their products are an easier and more affordable way to obtain GLP-1 drugs. Much like with counterfeit versions, these active ingredients come from unregulated, undisclosed sources and pose risks of contamination and inclusion of foreign substances.

The letter declared that the Food and Drug Administration has the expertise and resources to stop the bad conduct and deceptive practices by counterfeit drug manufacturers and that they should increase enforcement actions against the dealers and suppliers who are illegally participating in this market. It also encourages the FDA to partner with state pharmacy boards to provide increased oversight of compounding pharmacies and ensure that compounded GLP-1 drugs are produced safely and in sanitary environments.

Assistant Attorney General Kate Hagmann-Borenstein, Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, and Paralegal Specialist Casey Rybak are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

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Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
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Consumer Inquiries:

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