A medicine with approval
The FDA, short for the Food and Drug Administration, reviews medicines one intended use at a time.
As of September 26, 2026, FDA approval covered certain uses of semaglutide, sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Examples for type 2 diabetes were Ozempic and Mounjaro; those for weight loss were Wegovy and Zepbound.
These uses came with conditions, such as the patient’s age or health and, for weight loss, changes to food and activity.
Ask which approved use fits your health problem.
A medicine made to order
When a medicine is made for a patient’s particular needs, the process is called compounding.
As of September 26, 2026, FDA approval did not cover these made-to-order drugs.
Before these drugs are sold, the FDA does not review them for quality, safety or how well they work.
A made-to-order drug may serve a patient whose need cannot be met by an approved medicine. Examples are an allergy to a dye used in the ready-made medicine, or being unable to swallow a tablet.
Ask what need makes a made-to-order medicine worth considering for you.
A product with a research label
“Research use only” on the label gives no assurance that the product is fit for treatment.
In advice checked September 26, 2026, the FDA urged people to avoid these weight-loss products because their quality is unknown.
