Before we talk about December 31st, the FDA, or compounded weight-loss medications, this episode starts with something most people misunderstand:

What compounding pharmacies are actually for.

Joanne begins by explaining the original and ongoing role of compounding pharmacies — using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a clear, long-standing example — before addressing why compounded GLP-1 medications existed temporarily and why that chapter is now closing.

This context matters, because without it, everything happening right now sounds dramatic when it really isn’t.

• Why compounding pharmacies exist in the first place

• How compounding is meant to customize medication, not replace FDA-approved drugs

• A clear explanation of compounded HRT, including:

  • Doses that do not exist in FDA-approved products

  • Patients who need amounts between standard commercial doses

  • Delivery methods or formulations that FDA products don’t offer

  • Why testosterone for women is commonly compounded

• Why compounded HRT continues to be appropriate and legal: because FDA products cannot meet every individual dosing or formulation need

• Why compounded GLP-1 medications were legally allowed during shortages

• How compounding pharmacies were permitted to fill a supply gap, not a medical customization gap

• Why this was always intended to be temporary

• The difference between individualized medical compounding and mass-market convenience compounding

• What actually changed when GLP-1 shortages ended

• Why compounding pharmacies were given a wind-down period

• Why December 31st became a common operational cutoff

• Why this is not a ban, crackdown, or conspiracy — but a return to standard FDA rules

• Why compounding still exists — but within narrow, patient-specific boundaries

• Why GLP-1 mass compounding no longer fits the legal definition once supply stabilized

• How fear-based “stock up now” messaging misses the point

• Why medication can be a tool — but not a substitute for education, physiology, and behavior

Joanne also shares her recent reaction to a change in her thyroid medication, using it as a real-world example of why individualized dosing matters — and why nuance in medicine is often lost in online conversations.

All program dates for 2026 are now set.

View the full schedule here: 👉 www.joannelee2026.com

If you’d like to book a private consultation regarding peptide use, you can contact Joanne directly:

📧 www.5dayshred.com

A foundational program covering body composition, decision-making, and long-term success. 👉 www.yourvictoryvault.com

These programs give you a clear feel for how Joanne coaches before stepping into more advanced or longer-term work.

This episode isn’t about losing access — it’s about understanding how compounding was meant to work, why GLP-1 compounding filled a temporary gap, and why returning to clear boundaries actually protects patients.

Clarity beats panic. Education beats outrage.