The Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication; Wegovy is an FDA-approved brand, and compounded semaglutide is not FDA approved. Compounded semaglutide is a separate product, made by a state-licensed pharmacy for one patient on a prescription, and it is not FDA approved. BrightSide providers prescribe compounded semaglutide as a once-weekly injection.
How does semaglutide apply to compounded GLP-1 treatment?
Semaglutide is one of the two medications prescribed in compounded GLP-1 treatment at BrightSide. A compounded semaglutide prescription is made by a state-licensed pharmacy for one named patient, after a provider reviews that patient's health history. It is not FDA approved, and FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. FDA says a compounded drug might be appropriate if a patient's medical need cannot be met by an FDA-approved drug, or the FDA-approved drug is not commercially available. Our compounded semaglutide is a once-weekly injection that ships as a vial with injection supplies. A provider decides whether to prescribe it and at what dose. If you take semaglutide from another provider now, tell us your dose, and our providers can match it if it's right for you. Every plan is on our pricing page.
What does the FDA-approved label say about semaglutide?
The Wegovy label describes semaglutide as a GLP-1 analogue with 94 percent sequence homology to human GLP-1. It binds to and activates the GLP-1 receptor, and the label notes that GLP-1 is a physiological regulator of appetite and caloric intake. Wegovy comes as an injection taken once a week and as a tablet taken once a day. The injection starts at 0.25 mg and steps up every four weeks to a maintenance dosage. The label carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. It says Wegovy is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma and in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. It also says that using Wegovy with other semaglutide-containing products, or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist, is not recommended. That label was written for Wegovy. Compounded semaglutide has no FDA-approved label.
What does semaglutide mean at the pharmacy?
At the pharmacy, semaglutide is either a manufactured brand-name product or a prescription compounded for one patient. FDA-approved Wegovy injection comes in pens and syringes that hold fixed doses. FDA notes that compounders offer semaglutide in multiple-dose vials and prefilled syringes, and that concentrations vary by compounder. FDA encourages patients to ask their provider or compounder how to measure the intended dose. It recommends discarding a vial that holds multiple doses 28 days after the first use. Our pharmacy network page covers how we choose pharmacies. For Washington and Oregon patients, our Washington page names Nordic Pharmacy in Poulsbo, Washington, and links to compounded semaglutide for Washington.
| Wegovy | Compounded semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| FDA approved | Yes | No |
| FDA reviews safety, effectiveness and quality before marketing | Yes | No |
| Who makes it | Marketed by Novo Nordisk | A state-licensed pharmacy, for one patient, on a prescription |
| How it is supplied | Single-dose pens and syringes, a single-patient-use pen, and tablets | Varies by compounder; FDA notes multiple-dose vials and prefilled syringes |
| Where the dosing instructions are | The FDA-approved label | The prescription and the pharmacy label |
Common questions
Is compounded semaglutide the same as Wegovy?
No. Wegovy is an FDA-approved drug marketed by Novo Nordisk. Compounded semaglutide is made by a state-licensed pharmacy for one patient, from a prescription. It is not FDA approved, and FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality. FDA lists a company claiming that a compounded drug matches an FDA-approved drug among its telehealth red flags.
How is semaglutide different from tirzepatide?
Semaglutide acts on one receptor, GLP-1. Tirzepatide acts on two, GIP and GLP-1. They are different medications with different dose ranges, and the doses do not convert one to one. If you are switching from one to the other, your provider works out your starting dose with you.
Related terms
- GLP-1: the hormone whose receptor semaglutide acts on.
- Wegovy: an FDA-approved brand of semaglutide.
- Tirzepatide: the other medication prescribed in GLP-1 treatment.
- Compounded medication: what compounded semaglutide is.
Sources
- Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, revised 6/2026, on DailyMed: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ee06186f-2aa3-4990-a760-757579d8f77b
- FDA, FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss, content current as of October 1, 2026: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss
- FDA, FDA alerts health care providers, compounders and patients of dosing errors associated with compounded injectable semaglutide products, content current as of July 26, 2024: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/fda-alerts-health-care-providers-compounders-and-patients-dosing-errors-associated-compounded
Compounded medications are not FDA approved. They are prescribed by a licensed clinician and filled by a licensed 503A pharmacy.
