Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide in 2026: what changed
Cheap compounded copies boomed during the shortages. The shortages are over, the rules have tightened, and brand-name prices have fallen.
What compounded means
A compounded drug is mixed by a pharmacy rather than made by the drug's manufacturer. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA approved: the FDA does not check their strength, purity or quality before they are sold.
Why they were everywhere
When a drug is officially in shortage, pharmacies are allowed to make copies. Semaglutide and tirzepatide were in shortage from 2022, and online clinics sold compounded versions for $100 to $300 a month, far below the $1,000+ list prices.
What changed
The FDA declared the tirzepatide shortage over in December 2024 and the semaglutide shortage over in February 2025. After grace periods ended in spring 2025, pharmacies may no longer make routine copies. They can still compound for an individual patient whose prescriber documents a medical need for something different from the approved product, such as a different strength or an allergy to an ingredient.
In 2026 the FDA sent dozens of warning letters to online sellers over misleading claims, and proposed barring large outsourcing facilities from making these drugs at all. Hims & Hers agreed in March 2026 to stop advertising compounded GLP-1s.
The price gap has narrowed
Brand-name prices have fallen sharply. The Wegovy pill and Foundayo start at $149 a month cash, Wegovy at $199 and Zepbound at $299. Compounded versions still sell for $60 to $300 a month, but the saving is much smaller than it was.