Before you start at a weight loss clinic, find out who will prescribe, who will screen your health, which pharmacy supplies the medicine and whether it is the FDA-approved product. The FDA lists warning signs, and a clinic that can answer each of these questions plainly has made them easier to check.1
Who may prescribe depends on your state. This guide covers what to check and what to ask. It doesn't say which drug or clinic to choose, or whether to start, stop or change any medicine. That is for you and a doctor who knows your health.
Who prescribes, and who screens you
The FDA's advice is to get a prescription from your doctor and fill it at a state-licensed pharmacy.1 One of its warning signs is a company that doesn't require a screening and prescription from a licensed doctor before providing medicine. Another is having no licensed doctor available to answer questions after you receive it.1
The plastic surgeons' society, speaking about med spas in general, says to verify the credentials of the medical director, the supervising physician and anyone who may treat you. It says all procedures should be supervised by a physician in line with your state's laws.2 That is a society of plastic surgeons, and its page isn't about weight loss drugs, but the check applies. A good consultation covers your medical history, your goals and a plan, and sets out the risks and the costs.2
The Wegovy label shows why the history matters. It carries a boxed warning on thyroid tumors seen in rodents, and the drug must not be used by people with a personal or family history of certain thyroid cancers.3 Our semaglutide page covers the label in more detail.
Is it the approved product?
Two kinds of product are sold. One is the FDA-approved brand, such as Wegovy for semaglutide. The other is a compounded copy made by a pharmacy.13 The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed, and should be used only when a patient's medical needs can't be met by an approved drug.1
It has reports of adverse events, some needing hospitalization, that may be related to dosing errors with compounded semaglutide, and of fraudulent products with false labels, including pharmacy names that don't exist or didn't make the product.1
Myth
If a clinic says its semaglutide is the same as Wegovy, it is.
Fact
The FDA lists a company's claim that its compounded drug is the same as an FDA-approved drug as a warning sign. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.
Warning signs, from the FDA
Here are the FDA's warning signs, with the questions that answer them.
The FDA's warning signs and what to ask
Warning signs
- Claims it is the same as the approved drug
- Deep discounts or prices that seem too good to be true
- No screening or prescription from a licensed doctor
- No licensed doctor to answer questions afterward
- Label spelling errors or a pharmacy name that seems wrong
Ask
- Who is the prescriber and what is their license?
- Which pharmacy, and is it state-licensed?
- Is this the approved product or a compounded one?
- Who can I reach after hours?
The FDA adds that medicine that looks different from what you were shown, or arrives in broken or damaged packaging or without instructions for use, is a warning sign. It also says injectable products that arrive warm, or with too little ice to stay cold, shouldn't be used.1
At the med spas we list
3,194 of the 7,475 med spas we list offer weight loss, and 897 of them name their medical director. Here is what else they state.4
What med spas that offer weight loss state
Share of 3,194 med spas that offer weight loss
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Mention financing | 62% |
| Offer online booking | 40% |
| Offer a membership | 31% |
| Name a medical director | 28% |
| Say the consultation is free | 26% |
Seven in ten don't name one. Ask who the prescriber is and how to reach them.4
Here is what to bring to a consultation.
Questions to bring
The prescriber
The product
The plan
Common questions
What should I look for in a weight loss clinic?
A licensed doctor who screens your health history before prescribing, a state-licensed pharmacy, a clear answer on whether the medicine is FDA-approved or compounded, and a doctor you can reach after you receive it.
What does the FDA say about compounded semaglutide?
The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed, and it has reports of dosing errors and fraudulent labels. It says they should be used only when an approved drug can't meet a patient's medical needs.
What are the warning signs of a bad weight loss clinic?
The FDA lists claims that a compounded drug is the same as the approved one, deep discounts, no screening or prescription from a licensed doctor, no doctor to answer questions afterward, and labels with spelling errors or a questionable pharmacy name.
Do weight loss clinics name a medical director?
Mostly not. 897 of the 3,194 med spas we list that offer weight loss name one. Ask when you book.
Not sure where to start?
Look at clinics in your state, or read what to ask first.
Where to go next
Sources (4)
- FDA, FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss · US Food and Drug Administration (content current as of 10/01/2026 per the page) · read 29 Oct 2026
- ASPS, How to Choose the Right Medical Spa for You · American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), a professional society of plastic surgeons · read 29 Oct 2026
- WEGOVY (semaglutide) prescribing information, DailyMed (set id ee06186f-2aa3-4990-a760-757579d8f77b) · Novo Nordisk; FDA-approved labeling (effective 18 Jun 2026 per DailyMed). Injection parts used. · read 29 Oct 2026
- Clinic websites: what they say on their own pages · Our own read of listed clinics' websites in the 14 states we cover, October 2026. A clinic counts once; a fact counts only if its own site states it. · read 30 Oct 2026