Lane one: an FDA-approved medicine
The FDA has reviewed a particular product for named uses. Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) are FDA-approved peptide medicines as of September 2026.
The approved label explains what the product is for and carries product-specific warnings. Approval does not decide whether it fits one person.
Lane two: a made-to-order (compounded) medicine
A pharmacy or doctor makes the medicine to order; this is called compounding. A regular compounding pharmacy usually makes it for one named patient with a prescription. A site called an FDA-registered outsourcing facility can make batches of sterile medicine without a separate prescription for each named patient.
As of September 2026, a compounded drug is not FDA-approved. The FDA does not review how well it works, how safe it is or how well it is made before sale.
Compounding can meet a need that an approved product cannot. A pharmacy cannot simply copy a medicine that is already available. The medical professional must document a change that would make a significant difference for that particular patient, as the law requires.
Lane three: a research-labelled chemical
Online sellers may print “for research use only” or “not for human consumption” while also describing effects in people. FDA warning letters say the sales claims and other things the seller says or does—such as giving directions for human use—can show that the product is really being sold as a drug.
As of September 2026, buying an unapproved research chemical to inject is not a legal route to treatment. A mixing guide or a calculator that tells a person how much to take is another sign that the research label is a cover story.
A name alone can still mislead
NDC stands for National Drug Code. An NDC number identifies an entry in a government drug list, but it does not mean FDA approval. “FDA registered” describes a facility record, not approval of the facility or what it makes.
Ask for the exact product, ingredient, maker and legal lane. A broad answer such as “medical grade peptide” does not settle any of those points.