Jameela Jamil slaps Serena Williams for weight loss drugs
Serena Williams is under attack after actor and activist Jameela Jamil led backlash after a partnership that promoted GLP-1 weight loss pills.
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Liz just wanted to lose weight for her baby.
Like many other mothers, the 33-year-old struggled to fit in postpartum clothes. She came up with a combined version of weight loss drugs like Ozempic, an online pharmacy, but it was blocked at the cost. She then came across a video of Tiktalker saying that they can make these expensive medicines cheaply at home. That was her introduction to the world of “Grey GLP-1.”
“I started in the spring,” she explains the drugs she prepares in her kitchen.
Liz asked to withhold his surname due to legal concerns surrounding the home-based mixing process, Liz is one of the American growing crops that acquires research-grade peptides and converts them to drugs like GLP-1 in Access Barrier, facing affordable and weight loss drugs like Ozempic. This process is casually called “Grey GLP-1” or “Grey”.
The popularity of “Grey” involves medical and legal experts. “Grey GLP-1” has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and purchasing research-grade peptides for human use is illegal at the state and federal level, according to Courtney Sullivan, an Arizona lawyer working in drug control. But “Gray” suppliers promise an attractive way to lose weight and feel better the less you feel.
“The market is wild right now, and these illegal distributors have their fists in hand,” Sullivan said. “There are no regulations, there is no enforcement, there is no safety check for these products.”
The FDA recently published updated guidance for compound GLP-1 drugs, but requires clearer action and enforcement on “gray.” “The only way to know you’re getting a legal and safe product is to source it from a state licensed manufacturer or a conpartment,” says Sullivan. “These are illegal drugs on the black market. Calling them too much simply conveys a sense of legitimacy that doesn’t exist.”
“Get a straw”
Affordable prices and access drive “Gray” said Sabina Hemmi, founder of GLP recipients, a consumer watchdog. Some microdose home preparations as a cost-effective maintenance regimen. Others use these mixes in restocking delays from name brands. Many people like Liz turn “gray.” Because their basis weight and medical history excludes them from insurance coverage.
“That would be $300-400 a month,” Liz said. She says spending around $100 on medication for more than 10 months is worth the risk.
Some Americans see the options disappear completely. Lindsay Landers, a Kentucky advanced practice nurse, stopped prescribing compound GLP-1 from licensed pharmacies after ceasing drug manufacturers in August 2025.
Landers continues to prescribe patients who can afford the brand name GLP-1, but some have been forced to make tough choices.
“There are patients who have lost up to 125 pounds and feel they’ve regained their lives,” Landers says. “(My patient) is aware of the straws and is about to buy these medications from accessible sources, including illegal internet providers. I am serving a small community with only 6 stoplights. Access to care is a very realistic concern.”
Why is “gray” the problem?
These illegal drugs pose medical risks, Sullivan says. Some “gray” products may be discontinued and leaving important health needs unresolved, while others may contain contaminants with dangerous, long-term effects.
“These patients are at risk when using these untested, illegal products,” Landers reflects.
Another concern is safe. “Gray” users navigate encrypted chats, listen to non-medical advice, and use obscure websites that disappear constantly, Hemmi says. Many of the vendors are foreigners and require payment in cryptocurrency.
Incorrect information is also ramped up. Sullivan takes the “study” label on peptides for granted.
“Research use is only good if it’s actually done in a research setting,” says Sullivan. “These companies are going to tell you that they will help solidify their legitimacy.”
Experts say more regulations are important for patient safety. When “gray” becomes mainstream, users fear crackdowns.
Especially for those who need GLP-1 for chronic health issues, Liz says he understands panic and hopes there are cheaper and more regulated options.
“It’s not the reality of America right now. You can buy something that you can afford $400 a month,” says Liz. “Why are there no affordable options?”
