Washington, DC - Did you realize that 42% of U.S. adults are classified as having obesity; that's nearly 2 in 5 Americans have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, which is the standard threshold for obesity. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti are urging federal regulators to take swift action against deceptive online marketing of GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of drugs often promoted as weight loss solutions.

In a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, the officials warned that counterfeit and misrepresented GLP-1 medications—sometimes marketed as alternatives to FDA-approved drugs like Ozempic—are endangering public health. They cited troubling findings from a recent study showing that many websites selling these medications fail to disclose critical safety information or the lack of FDA approval.

More than 900 adverse events, including 17 deaths, have been linked to compounded versions of these drugs. Blackburn and Skrmetti called for a formal FTC investigation, highlighting manipulative marketing tactics and urging clear federal guidelines to protect consumers.

They say action is urgently needed to prevent further harm and restore integrity to the pharmaceutical marketplace.