Medical Weight Loss / GLP-1 Clinic Launch Roadmap
State-specific compliance overview for opening a facility in California.
Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority & Collaboration Agreement
NP practice authority varies by state: FULL (independent practice), REDUCED (collaborative agreement required), or RESTRICTED (physician supervision required). Whether an NP can own and run the clinic without a physician depends on this tier.
Confirm your state's NP practice tier, and where required, execute and file a written collaboration/supervision agreement with a physician before the NP evaluates patients or prescribes.
GLP-1 Sourcing Compliance — Compounded Semaglutide & Tirzepatide
FDA has warned about unsafe and counterfeit compounded semaglutide/tirzepatide. Compounded versions may only be sourced from state-licensed 503A pharmacies or FDA-registered 503B outsourcing facilities, and only where compounding remains legally permitted — restrictions tightened after the branded-drug shortages resolved.
Source GLP-1 medications only from licensed manufacturers, 503A compounding pharmacies, or 503B outsourcing facilities. Verify current FDA and state pharmacy-board compounding status before dispensing compounded GLP-1s; never buy from unverified online suppliers.
Weight-Loss Prescribing Protocol & Patient Eligibility Exam
GLP-1 and other weight-loss prescriptions require a valid provider-patient relationship: a documented eligibility exam (BMI criteria, medical history, contraindications such as personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2), baseline labs, and ongoing monitoring.
Adopt a physician-approved weight-loss prescribing protocol covering eligibility criteria, contraindication screening, baseline/follow-up labs, dose titration, and adverse-event handling. Document a Good Faith Exam before the first prescription.
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