By Ahmed Aboulenein
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Current laws and regulations are not enough to protect Americans from the risks of compounded versions of popular weight loss drugs, especially those bought online, outgoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said on Thursday.
The sale of these drugs would be less of a problem if the price of the original drugs were not so high, Califf told reporters at a media roundtable.
"I'm very worried about the internet compounding industry. Some of it, I'm sure, is very high quality, but it's very hard, if you are ordering things on the internet, to know exactly what you're getting," said Califf, who will leave the agency once incoming President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
"If the price of these drugs was not so high, it wouldn't be such a problem."
Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO)'s and Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY)'s weight loss drugs can cost over $1,000 for a month's supply, while compounded versions typically cost a few hundred dollars.
The FDA needs more support, Califf said. His comments contrast with those of Trump's nominee for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has said the agency's department in charge of nutrition labels on food has "to go" because it was not protecting Americans.
"Look at food side; it's massively underfunded and if you're also saying you want to radically change the food system, that will be a problem," Califf said.