Featuring Aaron Fitzsimmons, Pharmacist in Charge
When most people think about weight-loss, pharmacists aren’t the first experts who come to mind. But at OrderlyMeds, they play a vital role in making sure every prescription is safe, effective, and personalized to patient needs.
Aaron Fitzsimmons. Pharm.D. leads a team of pharmacists bringing both scientific precision and patient-centered care to the GLP-1 experience, helping ensure that every vial that leaves the pharmacy meets the highest standards of quality. In this feature, you’ll learn what inspired him to become a compounding pharmacist, how the team safeguards patients’ medications, and what the team wants every new GLP-1 user to know about compounded options.
Why Pharmacy, and Why Compounding?
Compounding pharmacies play an essential role when patients need options beyond standard medications. Sometimes that means creating a dose that isn’t commercially available, preparing a liquid form for a child or pet who can’t swallow pills, or tailoring hormone therapy to fit an individual’s body. In short, compounding steps in when one-size-fits-all medicine falls short—and that’s what makes it such an important part of personalized care.
For Aaron’s team, pharmacy was never just about filling prescriptions. It was about understanding how substances affect the body and using that knowledge to help people live healthier lives. Compounding became a natural fit.
Unlike mass-produced drugs, compounded medications are custom-made to meet a patient’s specific clinical needs, whether that’s a child who can’t swallow pills, a dog that needs a liquid version of seizure medicine, or a woman whose hormone therapy must be tailored to her body.
How They Work With OrderlyMeds
Aaron and the quality team at SmartPharmaRX, a pharmacy partner of OrderlyMeds and part of the broader OrderlyWellness umbrella, lead the systems that guarantee medications meet and exceed safety and purity standards. Their work includes overseeing the full process from raw ingredient to final vial, ensuring every step follows strict quality checks. Each batch is tested for sterility and potency before it ever reaches a patient.
And beyond the lab, their mission is simple: to make sure every person receives the exact dose their doctor prescribed, without compromise.
Our job is to remove uncertainty. Patients should feel confident that what they’re injecting is exactly what their body needs—meeting quality standards, meaning reliability and consistency.”
Aaron Fitzsimmons, Pharm. D.
SmartPharmaRX
What Patients Often Get Wrong
One of the biggest myths they encounter is that compounded medications aren’t safe because they’re not FDA-approved. Aaron is quick to point out that this oversimplifies the reality.
“This oversimplifies a nuanced issue,” Aaron explains. “The lack of FDA approval, which means specifically a clinical trial data with a NDA/ANDA, doesn’t mean ‘harmful.’ For example, there is little argument that compounded IV antibiotics, IV nutrition, and compounded irrigations for surgical sites are a requirement for proper care while in hospitals and nursing home settings.”
The real takeaway? Safety comes down to choosing the right pharmacy—one with proper licensing, testing, and oversight.
How Compounded GLP-1s Support Patients
With brand-name medications like Ozempic or Wegovy, patients receive standardized doses. But what happens if there’s a shortage, or a provider recommends a dose that isn’t commercially available?
That’s where compounded GLP-1s step in. Compounding gives prescribers flexibility to customize treatment. It can also allow medications to be prepared without certain dyes or allergens, or with added nutrients that may improve tolerability. For example, supplements like B12, glycine, or choline can be included when clinically appropriate to support energy, muscle health, or metabolic function.
“Sometimes clinical adjustments—removing an irritant or adding a supportive nutrient—can make all the difference in adherence,” Aaron explains.
Looking Ahead
For the pharmacy team, the future of compounding is about expanding access and customization. GLP-1s are just one example of how compounding can address gaps in the market, offering solutions when commercial drugs fall short.
Prescribers need options, and patients deserve treatment that works for their unique body. Compounding has been improving care for decades, and GLP-1s are simply the newest chapter.
Aaron Fitzsimmons, Pharm. D.
SmartPharmaRX
Final Thought
Behind every safe, effective compounded GLP-1 medication is a pharmacist ensuring that patients are seen, supported, and protected. For the pharmacists at OrderlyMeds, it’s not just about science, it’s about people. Their work ensures that when you open your next vial, you can feel confident you’re holding a medication made with precision, care, and your success in mind.
Ready to learn more about your treatment options? Explore how OrderlyMeds pharmacists safeguard every step of your journey and how compounded GLP-1s may help you reach your goals.
