MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WDNews) — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is leading a coalition of 20 states calling for greater federal oversight of Chinese-sourced ingredients used in some compounded GLP-1 drugs.
The coalition sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio raising concerns about active pharmaceutical ingredients used in compounded versions of semaglutide, tirzepatide and retatrutide.
According to Marshall’s office, the attorneys general believe gaps in federal oversight could allow unapproved or improperly sourced pharmaceutical ingredients to enter the United States.
“Chinese businesses quickly found and exploited a gap in the system that happens to be a direct line to Americans who use these popular injectable drugs. This is a direct and immediate risk to consumers’ health and safety, as well as a national security risk,” Marshall said.
“Our coalition is urging Secretary Rubio and the National Security Council to immediately establish greater oversight on the Green List program, or halt these potentially deadly ingredients from entering the country under the guise of helpful products,” Marshall added.
The concerns involve an FDA program known as the Green List, which allows certain suppliers of GLP-1 drug ingredients to avoid detention or inspection when shipments enter the country.
The coalition pointed to Chinese company Harbin Jixianglong Biotech Co. Ltd. as an example of what it says are weaknesses in the system.
According to the letter, an inspection found Harbin purchased semaglutide from a facility that was not on the Green List and was not registered with the FDA. The coalition said the product was then repackaged and relabeled under Harbin’s name, with manufacturing and retest dates changed before it was distributed to the United States.
The attorneys general also raised concerns about reports that some Chinese chemical manufacturers linked to fentanyl precursor supply chains have moved into the sale of peptides, including products marketed for weight loss.
The coalition is asking federal officials to provide states with more information about foreign GLP-1 and peptide supply chains and any known connections to companies involved in fentanyl production.
The letter follows a previous case by Marshall’s office involving an Alabama business accused of selling research-grade versions of tirzepatide and semaglutide.
Attorneys general from Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia joined Alabama in signing the letter.
