Attorney General Orders Danbury Weight-Loss Spa To Halt Marketing Of Bootleg Injections

DANBURY, CT — Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has ordered three weight-loss clinics, including one in Danbury, to stop advertising and selling non-FDA-approved GLP-1 weight-loss injections. The action is part of an ongoing statewide crackdown on bootleg versions of popular drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Cease-and-desist letters were sent this month to CT Weight Loss Shot, which operates both CT Weight Loss Shot in Danbury and Vigorous 360 Wellness in Brookfield, as well as Radiance Medspa in Avon. Tong’s office said the businesses advertised compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide injections despite state warnings that doing so may violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.

“There are currently no generic GLP-1 weight loss injections on the market, and anyone advertising or offering this is not telling the truth,” Tong said in a statement. He said the investigation found the clinics — owned or controlled by individuals who are not licensed health care providers — were marketing “potentially unsafe bootleg drugs” to Connecticut consumers.

The Attorney General’s Office said the Danbury and Brookfield locations falsely claimed the injections were FDA-approved and suggested they were generic versions of Ozempic and Mounjaro, even though no such generics exist. Advertisements also implied the products had undergone clinical testing when they had not. Radiance Medspa continued promoting compounded GLP-1 drugs even after compounded versions were no longer permitted for the general patient population.

Tong’s office said there is no record that the owners of any of the clinics hold medical licenses, and that non-health care providers cannot legally own or operate medical practices in Connecticut.

The enforcement action follows an August settlement with Triggered Brand, which agreed to stop selling bootleg GLP-1 products and faces a suspended $300,000 judgment. An investigation into “Made in China,” an international trading platform that marketed “research grade” GLP-1 drugs to U.S. consumers, remains active. The company has since halted marketing of the products after receiving a civil investigative demand, Tong said.

Last spring, Tong warned Connecticut clinics and med spas that marketing compounded GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is no longer permitted. The letter cited FDA concerns including dosing inaccuracies, ingredients sourced from poorly regulated overseas facilities, and reports of adverse reactions requiring medical care. The Attorney General said businesses that continue deceptive advertising could face enforcement under the Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Tong also joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 states and territories in urging the FDA to take stronger action against counterfeit and illegally marketed GLP-1 drugs. Officials said unregulated online sellers often promote raw drug ingredients as cheaper, easier alternatives, despite contamination risks and lack of safety oversight.

The Attorney General’s Office said it is prepared to pursue additional enforcement if clinics continue offering or promoting unauthorized GLP-1 weight-loss treatments.