Senate passes bill targeting deceptive marketing of compounded weight‑loss drugs, gives enforcement to attorney general

The Colorado Senate on April 17 passed Senate Bill 66 with a floor amendment that narrowed the measure to target deceptive marketing of compounded weight‑loss medications and gave exclusive enforcement authority to the Colorado Attorney General under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.

Sponsor Senator Carson described the amendment (L16) as the core of the bill: it prohibits false or misleading claims about compounded weight‑loss drugs (including advertising them as FDA‑approved when they are not), makes enforcement exclusive to the Attorney General, and preserves important medical and institutional exceptions. "It is a deceptive trade practice to make false or misleading claims about compounded weight loss drugs," the sponsor said, adding the amendment prevents a private right of action to avoid excessive litigation.

Senator Judah and other supporters emphasized consumer safety and transparency: "We want safe sourcing and transparency...If I'm taking a drug, I want to know that the ingredients in that drug are safe," Judah said, and asked colleagues to support a measure aimed at bad actors rather than legitimate compounding pharmacies.

Opponents questioned whether sole enforcement by the Attorney General can be triggered quickly enough where harms may be underreported, particularly given stigma that may suppress consumer complaints. Senator Donna Gonzalez and others asked how many harmed consumers are required before the AG's office can act; sponsors said the AG's exclusive authority follows similar consumer‑protection statutes and said the measure targets bad actors, not compliant pharmacies.

The chamber adopted the L16 amendment and later passed Senate Bill 66; the roll call indicated recorded opposition (20 ayes, 15 noes in the final floor tally reported for the bill's passage).