Watch for · Slow the decision down
Look past badges and smooth checkout pages. Get the exact medicine name. Check the licence of the person who will examine you and decide on treatment, and check the pharmacy separately.
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) handles medicine reviews.
When a doctor or pharmacist makes a medicine to order, it is called compounded.
Semaglutide is the ingredient in Ozempic injections for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy injections for losing weight and keeping it off. Tirzepatide is the ingredient in Mounjaro injections for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound injections for losing weight and keeping it off.
| The pitch | The gap to check |
|---|---|
| No prescription needed | Federal law requires a valid prescription to hand over prescription medicine, as of September 2026. Ask who will examine you, decide on treatment, and write the prescription. |
| A badge is enough | Official-looking logos and seals can be faked, warns the Federal Trade Commission. Use the state record to check the actual person or pharmacy. |
| The pharmacy name can wait | FDA guidance checked in September 2026 notes fake compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide labels, including names of pharmacies that do not exist. Get the name, then look it up before proceeding. |
| A low price proves value | A price so low it is hard to believe is an FDA warning sign, alongside other gaps in online pharmacy care. A discount alone does not settle the question; genuine cash offers can also be much lower than a list price. |
Myth to test
What holds up
Washington’s Pharmacy Commission says patient medicines cannot be compounded from ingredients labelled for research or not for human use, as of September 2026.
This bulletin explains the board’s position; it is not a new law or a list of peptides cleared for treatment.
Myth to test
What holds up
As of September 2026, the FDA says compounded drugs are not approved by the agency.
Ask for the exact product and what evidence supports it.
Ask the pharmacist about storage, the label, and any damage to the package. Ask the person writing the prescription who handles problems after the visit.
Storage varies by product; a blanket rule that every peptide belongs in a fridge is wrong.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are often called GLP-1 medicines. GLP-1 occurs naturally as a hormone and affects blood sugar and appetite; these medicines act like that hormone.
FDA guidance checked in September 2026 advises against using injectable GLP-1 medicines that arrive warm or without enough refrigeration.
The FDA has received reports of harm, including hospital stays, linked to possible measuring errors with compounded semaglutide injections.
If the instructions are unclear, ask the pharmacist or the person who wrote the prescription, rather than working it out from a chart online.
Call 911 for severe breathing trouble or swelling in your face or tongue.
A severe allergic reaction can develop fast and needs urgent care.
Read guidance on severe allergic reactionsPatients can also use MedWatch, the FDA’s public reporting service, to report problems with a medicine.
Open the FDA’s MedWatch informationNext: bring a clear question to care