Can you get tirzepatide from a compounding pharmacy?

Key Takeaways

Tirzepatide cannot be legally compounded in a U.S. pharmacy at this time. It has been removed from the FDA drug shortage list as of October 2, 2024. When drugs are in short supply, the FDA may allow temporary compounding of some medicines to allow patients to continue to access their treatments.

Tirzepatide is now widely available as a prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly under the brands names Mounjaro (for type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (for weight loss and sleep apnea).

The FDA may allow temporary compounding of medicines during a drug shortage to allow patients to continue to access their needed therapies or if there is a proven medical necessity for an individual patient, such as a sensitivity to an inactive ingredient.

According to the drug shortages list from the FDA, injectable prescription tirzepatide is now available and is no longer in shortage.

Nationwide drug shortages occurred with tirzepatide in December 2022 due to high demand. Shortages of other drugs similar to it, such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) have also occurred in the past, but are now resolved.

If you were previously using a compounded tirzepatide product, talk to your healthcare provider about getting the brand name medicine. Also, check with your insurance for coverage and call Lilly Support Services at 1-800-545-5979 to learn more about accessing these medications if cost is an issue.

What is tirzepatide approved for?

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) is classified as a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.

Zepbound

• Zepbound (tirzepatide) is approved by the FDA to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight loss long term in adults with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related medical condition (like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea or heart disease).
• Zepbound is also approved to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity.

To learn more about this use, review How does Zepbound help treat sleep apnea?

Zepbound helps you lose weight and maintain weight loss and should be combined with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise for either weight management or OSA.

Mounjaro

• Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is approved to be used together with diet and exercise to help lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
• It has also been shown in clinical trials to help with long-term weight loss when combined with diet and exercise, but it is not FDA-approved for this use specifically.

Tirzepatide injection is only available as a prescription brand name product. It comes in pre-filled single-dose pen injectors or single-dose vials for either Mounjaro or Zepbound. There are no generic options for tirzepatide in the U.S. and the active ingredient for compounding is not available from the manufacturer.

Can I still buy compounded tirzepatide?

As of March 2025, tirzepatide can no longer be legally compounded by pharmacies because the shortage of this medicine was resolved in 2024. The FDA states that a patient should not use a compounded product if an approved medication like Mounjaro or Zepbound is commercially available.

Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of tirzepatide states that they cannot validate the safety or effectiveness of products claiming to contain tirzepatide that are not their branded products (Mounjaro and Zepbound).

The FDA does not review compounded versions of prescription medications, including compounded tirzepatide, for safety, effectiveness or quality. Compounded drugs may pose a higher risk than approved drugs, as noted by the FDA.

On the other hand, the FDA does review medicine safety, effectiveness and manufacturing processes for drugs submitted for approval. Eli Lilly's brand name drug Mounjaro was first approved in May 2022 and Zepbound was approved in November 2023.

Counterfeit versions of these medicines have also been marketed illegally, as reported by the FDA. If you think you have received counterfeit tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) or received it from an unauthorized source, contact your healthcare provider. Counterfeit drugs may contain the wrong medicine or impure ingredients - or too little, too much or no active ingredient at all.

Related questions

• Mounjaro vs Ozempic: Which is right for you?
• Zepbound vs Mounjaro: Comparison Guide for Weight Loss and Diabetes Treatment
• Why am I not losing weight on Mounjaro?

Side Effects: Compounded semaglutide example

In May 2023 the FDA raised some concerns about another compounded GLP-1 agonist, semaglutide (brands: Ozempic and Wegovy), a medicine similar to tirzepatide that was also in shortage.

According to the FDA there were reports of side effects (“adverse events”) in patients who used compounded version of semaglutide used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes, for cardiovascular risk reduction and for weight loss management.

The FDA also reported that some compounding pharmacies were using different salt forms of semaglutide as the active ingredient. These include semaglutide acetate and semaglutide sodium, products that are not approved by the FDA and are different from the active ingredients found in Ozempic or Wegovy.

The manufacturer of semaglutide, Novo Nordisk, was noted to be pursuing legal action against compounding pharmacies for selling adulterated and misbranded compounded drugs claiming to contain semaglutide.

If you are considering use of any compounded medication, speak to your healthcare provider first for the best advice for your medical condition.

What exactly is drug compounding?

Drug compounding is the process of combining, mixing, or changing ingredients to create a medication specific for the needs of an individual patient. Some people may receive a prescription for a compounded medicine because they need a special formulation or due to a drug shortage in their area.

Drug compounding is a legal and a well-accepted practice in the United States, often done by licensed pharmacists, physicians or other healthcare providers.

A compounded version of an approved drug may be formulated if it meets certain conditions in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act. For example, if an approved drug is in shortage, a compounded version can be legally prepared. However, compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and the agency does not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs.

Compounded medications require a prescription from a healthcare provider. Licensed compounding pharmacies in the U.S. can legally prepare compounded medications when adhering to guidelines from the FDA and their State Board of Pharmacy. Patients should only obtain medicines from state-licensed pharmacies or facilities registered with the FDA.

Despite this, concerns have been raised about some drug compounding practices in the past, including sterility and other quality issues. The FDA has identified insanitary conditions at drug compounding facilities during inspections, which may result in contaminated products and serious patient injury and death.

FDA encourages health care professionals, patients, and pharmacies to report adverse events or quality problems with these or any medications to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

This is not all the information you need to know about compounded tirzepatide for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.

Read next

See also:

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