Comment by kube-system
8 hours ago
One dose is one thing -- but there are other risks that can lead to complication or death here if taken improperly for a long period of time. Musculoskeletal issues, cardiac issues, thyroid issues, etc.
Additionally, getting the correct dose is not straightforward for a layperson as it is for other OTC drugs with standard doses.
There are similar risks, and probably more likely, to all sorts of consumables that aren't regulated at all. It is reasonable to ask whether the prescription regime for GLP-1s makes sense. It isn't the only substance posing that conundrum! Ondansetron is OTC in a lot of countries, but not in the US, Canada, or UK. But ondansetron is arguably less dangerous and more helpful than pseudoephedrine.
Pseudoephedrine, of course, isn't BTC because it's dangerous to take or complicated to dose. It's there because of the war on drugs. But I do agree that not all drugs are regulated appropriately. Marijuana also comes to mind.
I do think GLP-1s are just about right. It is appropriate to take them under personalized professional guidance.
Right, and I actually see the logic of that (unlike virtually everyone else on HN, and let's not rekindle that debate; the search bar avails). The point is you don't need a prescription to get it. People might be better off if GLP1s were also BTC. Hard to say!
Certainly you can abuse a GLP1 and get yourself very sick, or not abuse it and still end up with pancreatitis. But smoking and alcohol presumably cause way more cases of pancreatitis, and you don't need a script for a handle of Popov.
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