Compounded semaglutide: what the FDA says about copies of Wegovy

Compounded semaglutide is semaglutide mixed by a pharmacy, not made by the maker of Wegovy. The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and that it does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed.¹

Here is what the FDA has reported about it, the warning signs it lists and what to ask. It gives no dose. Whether any form of semaglutide is right for you is a question for a doctor who knows your health.

What it is

Wegovy is the approved semaglutide for weight management; our semaglutide page gives the label. A compounded version is a custom mix made by a compounding pharmacy.¹ The FDA says a compounded drug might be appropriate if a patient's medical need can't be met by an approved drug, or if the approved drug isn't commercially available.¹

What the FDA has reported

As of May 31, 2026, the FDA had received 990 reports of adverse events associated with compounded semaglutide and more than 730 associated with compounded tirzepatide.¹ The FDA has received multiple reports of adverse events, some needing hospitalization, that may be related to dosing errors with compounded injectable semaglutide. Patients measured and gave themselves the wrong dose, and in some cases health care professionals miscalculated it.¹ It has also received reports of people prescribed compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide at doses beyond the approved label, with symptoms that included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation. Some of the events were serious.¹

Other problems it lists: - Fraudulent compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide with false information on the label. Some labels name pharmacies that don't exist, and others name a licensed pharmacy that did not compound the product.¹ - Salt forms, semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate, which are different active ingredients from those in the approved drugs. The FDA knows of no lawful basis for using them in compounding.¹ - Injectable products arriving warm or with too little ice. The FDA recommends not using an injectable GLP-1 drug that arrives warm or without enough refrigeration.¹ - Multi-dose vials used past 28 days. The FDA recommends discarding a vial within 28 days of first use, even if medication remains, and using a new sterile needle and syringe for each dose.¹ - Products sold falsely as "for research purposes" or "not for human consumption," with dosing instructions, to consumers. The FDA urges people not to buy them.¹

The FDA adds that it isn't always possible to tell whether an event came from the drug itself or from other factors, and that many reports look consistent with those for the approved versions.¹ It is also aware of counterfeit Ozempic sold in the US.¹

The FDA's warning signs

The FDA's advice is to get a prescription from your doctor and fill it at a state-licensed pharmacy.¹

What med spas offer

Two in five med spas we list offer weight loss: 3,194 of 7,475. That doesn't say which drug, who prescribes it or whether it is compounded, so ask.²

Here is what to bring to a consultation.

Cost

We don't give prices on this page. Our guide to paying for med spa treatments covers payment.

Common questions