(NewsNation) — Pharmacies and clinics across the country have been selling generic versions of the drug Ozempic, following a surge in demand after users reported its effectiveness at weight loss.

One of those people is Jason Jacobson, a nurse practitioner who last year opened a wellness clinic in Florida where he offers patients semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic. He was inspired by his stepdaughter Ashley Dunham, who lost more than 100 pounds on the drug.

She began taking it to help with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, which led to weight gain.

“Studies have shown that GLP-1 medication is the leading treatment for women with PCOS, and I wish that more women knew that,” Dunham said Monday on “CUOMO.” “So, I’ve taken it, I take my once weekly injection mixed with proper diet and exercise, I go to a personal trainer a few times a week and I’ve been able to lose 106 pounds as I stand before you today.”

Generic versions of Ozempic and another semaglutide drug Wegovy have become an option for patients who have trouble getting their hands on the name brand, which can cost over $1,000. Sites offering semaglutide products tout discounts that bring the medication down to only $100 or $200 a month.

However, medical professionals have been warning against the use of the off-label drugs because of uncertainty about what other compounds are mixed in during the manufacturing process.

Officials have been warning people of the health issues that can come from using unregulated versions of the drug since reports surfaced about patients using semaglutide that have been compounded in online pharmacies.

“Patients and health care professionals should understand that the agency does not review compounded versions of these drugs for safety, effectiveness, or quality,” an FDA notice from late May said.

In addition, Norvo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic and Wegovy, has said it is taking “multiple actions,” including lawsuits, against counterfeit and compounded semaglutide products, as the company says these may “expose patients to health risks.”

Jacobson says he “follow(s) the guidelines of the manufacturer” when recommending semaglutide treatment to his patients, and advises them of any associated risks.

“There’s inherent risk with any medication, but when the pharmacists are compounding the medication to the specifications of the way in which the medication was designed or created, I think that the safety profile is pretty good,” Jacobson said.

Ozempic is an approved diabetes drug, while Wegovy is an FDA-approved weight loss drug. The FDA has not approved a generic version of the drugs, and patents on them are expected to last until 2032.

Dr. Michael Feiz, a bariatric surgeon, is among those cautioning patients to be wary about what they are taking.

“Any time there is such a demand for this medication, there’s also the possibility of wrongdoers, of people that are going to adulterate this medication in ways that is going to make them more money,” Feiz said. “But it could make it at the very least not efficacious, in which case they just say, ‘the medication didn’t work for you.'”

NewsNation digital producer Cassie Buchman contributed to this report.