00:00 It's a shock move backed by doctors.
00:05 These rules are there to protect individuals, they're not there to be exploited by big business.
00:11 The TGA has written to doctors and pharmacy groups about its intention to crack down on
00:16 copycat versions of popular diabetes drugs.
00:19 We welcome the letter, however we just want to ensure that it doesn't ban compounding
00:25 outright.
00:27 When medications like Ozempic and Munjaro are in short supply, pharmacists can make
00:32 their own versions which aren't tested for safety or quality by the TGA.
00:38 But they have to be individualised for each patient with a script and can't be made in
00:42 bulk.
00:43 There are fears some are doing just that.
00:46 These drugs are known, we can't tell people whether they work and it's really the safety
00:51 aspect that concerns us most for the community.
00:54 It comes amid a Four Corners investigation.
00:57 Now the TGA wants to ban pharmacists from making GLP-1 agonist drugs like Ozempic.
01:03 All of those drugs will be removed from the compounding exemptions.
01:09 Consumer groups worry for diabetic patients.
01:11 We're really calling on the government to try and do more in this space to get a better
01:15 supply of Ozempic into Australia.
01:18 While they welcome the crackdown, pharmacists say the law is already adequate.
01:22 The TGA needs to play a more active role in oversight of these pharmacies that are manufacturing
01:29 in large quantities.
01:30 While the TGA waits for feedback on the proposed ban, the ABC understands there are a number
01:35 of ongoing state and federal investigations into compounding pharmacies.
01:40 As part of that, the agency raided a compounding pharmacy in Melbourne yesterday, seizing a
01:45 large amount of semaglutide, peptides and human growth hormones.
01:50 The TGA will allege they've been made illegally and say they hold serious safety concerns
01:55 about the medications.
01:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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