Quick answer: Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide aren't FDA-approved, so no regulator has checked them for safety, effectiveness or quality. US pharmacies could copy them while the drugs were in shortage; those shortages ended in 2024–25, and copies are now allowed only for documented individual needs. The UK doesn't authorise powder-vial products, and Canada has approved generic semaglutide. A brand or approved generic is the safer choice.
In this guide
We don't carry sponsored links on this guide, because several companies in this market sell compounded products and our partners include telehealth weight programmes.
Who this is for
This guide is for anyone weighing a cheaper compounded version of semaglutide (the ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic) or tirzepatide (Zepbound and Mounjaro) against the brand, usually through an online clinic. If you aren't sure you qualify for these medicines at all, start with who qualifies at BMI 27 with high blood pressure.
What compounding is, and why it boomed
Compounding is when a pharmacy mixes a medicine itself rather than dispensing a manufactured product. It has legitimate uses, such as removing an ingredient a patient is allergic to. When demand for semaglutide and tirzepatide outstripped supply in 2022–24, both drugs were placed on the FDA's shortage list, which let US pharmacies make copies. A large market of online clinics grew up around those copies, often at a fraction of the brand price.
What the FDA says now
The shortages are over. The FDA declared the tirzepatide shortage resolved on 19 December 2024 and the semaglutide shortage on 21 February 2025, and the grace periods for compounders ended in spring 2025. Pharmacies may no longer routinely make "essentially copies" of approved drugs; a state-licensed pharmacy can still compound for an individual patient with a documented clinical need.
The agency has since stepped up enforcement. In February 2026 it said it intends to restrict the ingredients used in mass-marketed compounded GLP-1 drugs. In March 2026 it warned 30 telehealth companies about marketing, and it publishes a list of claims it considers false or misleading, including calling a compounded drug "generic", "the same as" an approved drug, or "FDA-approved".
The safety concerns
The FDA says compounded drugs are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality before they're sold. Its specific concerns include:
- Dosing errors, some leading to hospital admission, often when people measure doses from vials themselves.
- Different ingredients. Semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate are salt forms the FDA treats as different active ingredients from the one in the approved products.
- Adverse events. By 31 May 2026 the FDA had received 990 reports involving compounded semaglutide and more than 730 involving compounded tirzepatide.
- Counterfeits. Fake Ozempic has been found in the US supply chain, and some labels name pharmacies that don't exist.
In the UK and Canada
United Kingdom
The MHRA says powder-in-vial weight-loss products aren't authorised and advises buying only from a registered pharmacy with a prescription. In October 2026 it seized more than 12,000 counterfeit pens in Birmingham. Online pharmacies must follow GPhC rules that require your weight to be verified before prescribing. Our guide to Wegovy and Mounjaro in the UK covers the legal routes.
Canada
Canada now has approved generic semaglutide. Health Canada approved the first generic in April 2026 for type 2 diabetes and, in June 2026, Sevmia, the first generic approved for weight management. Health Canada advises buying only from licensed pharmacies and checking that the product has an eight-digit DIN. Obesity Canada's 2025 guideline says compounded products should not be used. See medical weight loss in Canada for coverage and prices.
Compare your options
| Product | Approved? | Typical cost | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand (Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro) | Yes | US self-pay: Wegovy $349 a month; Zepbound vials $299–449 | Tested for safety, effectiveness and quality |
| Approved generic (Canada) | Yes (Health Canada) | Lower than the brand; prices still settling | Only Sevmia is approved for weight management |
| Compounded (US) | No | Often lower | Allowed only for documented individual needs since 2025 |
| "Research" peptides, powder vials, social media sellers | No | Varies | Illegal to sell for human use; risk of fakes |
US self-pay prices from NovoCare and LillyDirect, checked .
What to do next
- Ask what you're being sold: the product name, the manufacturer and the dispensing pharmacy.
- Price the brand first through the manufacturer's self-pay programme or your insurance.
- Verify the pharmacy with safe.pharmacy in the US, the GPhC register in the UK, or the DIN in Canada.
- Never measure doses from an unlabelled vial, and don't buy from salons or social media.
- Ask the right questions of any online service — our 12 questions to ask before you pay help.
The medical weight-loss check works out your BMI, applies the prescribing thresholds, flags anything that needs a clinician first, and shows covered routes before paid ones.
Check my eligibilityCommon questions
Is compounded semaglutide the same as Wegovy?
No. It may contain semaglutide, but the FDA hasn't reviewed it for safety, effectiveness or quality, and some products use different salt forms, such as semaglutide sodium, which the FDA treats as different active ingredients. The FDA has told telehealth firms that calling compounded drugs 'generic' or 'the same as' an approved drug is false or misleading.
Is compounded semaglutide still legal in the US?
Only in narrow cases. Since the shortages ended in 2024 and 2025, pharmacies can't routinely make copies of approved drugs. A state-licensed pharmacy may compound for an individual patient with a documented clinical need, such as an allergy to an ingredient. Mass-marketed copies are the target of FDA warning letters and proposed restrictions.
Is there a cheaper approved option?
Brand self-pay prices have fallen: Wegovy pens cost $349 a month through NovoCare, with an introductory $199 for new patients until the end of 2026, and Zepbound vials start at $299 through LillyDirect. In Canada, Health Canada approved Sevmia, the first generic semaglutide for weight management, in June 2026.
How can I tell if a product is genuine?
Buy only with a prescription from a licensed pharmacy. In the US, check online pharmacies with NABP's safe.pharmacy tool or your state board; in the UK, use the GPhC register; in Canada, look for the eight-digit DIN in Health Canada's Drug Product Database. Avoid powder vials, 'research use only' products and social media sellers.
Related guides
Sources
- US Food and Drug Administration. FDA clarifies policies for compounders as national GLP-1 supply stabilises. Updated 1 April 2026.
- US Food and Drug Administration. FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. Current as of 1 October 2026.
- US Food and Drug Administration. FDA intends to take action against non-FDA-approved GLP-1 drugs. 6 February 2026.
- US Food and Drug Administration. FDA warns 30 telehealth companies against illegal marketing of compounded GLP-1s. 3 March 2026.
- US Food and Drug Administration. For telehealth companies: what to know when promoting compounded drugs. 15 June 2026.
- NovoCare. Wegovy self-pay pricing. Accessed 18 October 2026.
- Fierce Pharma. Lilly lowers self-pay prices for Zepbound single-dose vials.
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Buy safely — check an online pharmacy.
- MHRA. GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know. Updated 5 February 2026.
- MHRA. Counterfeit weight-loss pens worth £2 million seized. October 2026.
- General Pharmaceutical Council. Providing weight management services — FAQs.
- Health Canada. Canada approves first generic semaglutide for weight loss. 29 June 2026.
- Health Canada. Canada becomes the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide. April 2026.
- Health Canada. Thinking about buying GLP-1 drugs? Beware of fake or unauthorized products. 21 January 2026.
- Obesity Canada. Obesity pharmacotherapy guideline update. August 2025.
General information, not medical advice — see our medical disclaimer. Written to the WhereToStart editorial policy. Next scheduled review: .