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In a significant development highlighting concerns over pharmaceutical safety, Senator Tom Cotton has called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate potential contamination of U.S. weight loss medications with illegal Chinese ingredients.
The Arkansas Republican sent a formal letter to FDA Commissioner Martin Makary requesting an urgent probe into how deeply unregulated and illegal Chinese active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) have penetrated the American pharmaceutical supply chain, with particular focus on popular weight loss drugs.
“China’s access to America’s pharmaceutical supply chain presents national security risks as well as significant health risks to American patients,” Cotton stated in his letter, which was exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital.
Cotton’s concerns stem from alarming findings by the FDA and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which revealed that authorities intercepted 195 illegal shipments of active pharmaceutical ingredients between September 2023 and January 2025. These ingredients were “likely used in compounded weight loss medications” entering the U.S. market. Approximately 60 of these intercepted shipments originated from China and Hong Kong.
The senator highlighted a troubling estimate that as of January 2026, up to 1.5 million American patients could be using “unregulated compounded weight loss medications that may contain potentially dangerous ingredients from Chinese manufacturers.”
These ingredients typically appear in compounded versions of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, which are often marketed as alternatives to FDA-approved medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The market for these alternatives has grown substantially as patients seek more affordable options amid high demand and limited supply of the approved medications.
The timing of Cotton’s request follows recent regulatory actions against companies selling unapproved weight loss products. Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it would refer telehealth company Hims & Hers to the Justice Department for “potential violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” This referral related to the company’s planned sale of a compounded, non-FDA-approved weight loss drug.
Commissioner Makary had previously announced that the FDA would “take decisive steps to restrict GLP-1 active pharmaceutical ingredients intended for use in non-FDA-approved compounded drugs that are being mass-marketed by companies — including Hims & Hers and other compounding pharmacies — as alternatives to FDA-approved drugs.”
Under mounting regulatory pressure, Hims & Hers announced last week that it would withdraw its weight loss pill from the market. The product had been marketed as a lower-cost alternative to Wegovy, which can cost patients over $1,000 per month without insurance coverage.
Cotton acknowledged this development but emphasized the need for broader investigation, writing, “I encourage further investigations into other entities that expose American patients to dangerous, unregulated Chinese APIs.”
The issue underscores the complex challenges facing U.S. pharmaceutical regulation in an increasingly global supply chain. Weight loss medications have become particularly sought-after as GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have gained popularity for their effectiveness in treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. The high demand has created opportunities for unregulated alternatives to enter the market.
Health experts have consistently warned about the risks of using compounded or unregulated weight loss medications, which may not contain the correct dosages or ingredients and could potentially cause serious side effects or health complications.
This investigation comes amid broader concerns about U.S. dependency on foreign pharmaceutical ingredients, particularly from China, which produces a significant portion of the world’s active pharmaceutical ingredients. Public health officials have long warned that this dependency could pose both safety and national security concerns.
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8 Comments
This highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry, especially regarding foreign suppliers. The FDA should leave no stone unturned in their probe.
I’m curious to see what the investigation uncovers. Illegal foreign ingredients in drugs pose serious risks to public health and national security. The FDA must get to the bottom of this issue.
Absolutely, the American people deserve to have confidence in the safety and quality of their medications. This merits a thorough and transparent probe by the FDA.
This is a troubling development. While I’m not surprised by China’s shady practices, the infiltration of the US drug supply is unacceptable. The FDA needs to act swiftly to protect consumers.
Agreed. The FDA must work closely with Customs and Border Protection to strengthen oversight and secure the supply chain against illicit foreign ingredients.
This is concerning news about potential contamination of US weight loss drugs with illegal Chinese ingredients. The FDA should thoroughly investigate to ensure the safety and integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Agreed, the health and safety of American consumers must be the top priority. The FDA needs to act swiftly to identify any adulterated products and remove them from the market.
Pharmaceutical safety is a critical issue. I hope the FDA’s investigation sheds light on the extent of this problem and leads to robust measures to safeguard the integrity of US drugs.