Federal peptide law in the United States

Can peptides be prescribed by telehealth?

There is no federal telehealth licensing law for non-controlled drugs: the prescriber must be licensed in the state where the patient is located, and each state sets its own rules for establishing the patient relationship. Federal telehealth restrictions come from the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 829(e), the Ryan Haight Act) and DEA rules at 21 CFR 1300.04, which generally require an in-person evaluation before a controlled substance is prescribed by telemedicine unless a DEA exception or flexibility applies. None of the peptides in this database are federally scheduled controlled substances, so those rules do not apply to GLP-1 or compounded peptide prescriptions, but they do apply to anything else a telehealth clinic might co-prescribe. [9] [10]

Who regulates peptide compounding?

Section 503A of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 353a) exempts a compounded drug from new drug approval, labeling, and cGMP requirements only when it is made by a licensed pharmacist or physician for an identified patient on a valid prescription, and only from bulk substances that are components of approved drugs, have a USP or NF monograph, or appear on the 503A bulks list that FDA publishes by rule after Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) review. FDA also keeps an interim list of nominated substances: Category 1 (may be compounded while under review), Category 2 (significant safety risks identified, not eligible), and Category 3 (insufficient information). Section 503B outsourcing facilities can compound without patient specific prescriptions but face their own bulks list and cGMP requirements. State pharmacy boards license and inspect the pharmacies themselves; FDA policy and state licensure both have to be satisfied. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Are compounded GLP-1s still legal?

Semaglutide and tirzepatide are FDA approved and available nationwide by prescription. Compounded copies were permitted only while the branded products were on the FDA drug shortage list. FDA declared the tirzepatide shortage resolved on October 2, 2024 and reaffirmed that decision on December 19, 2024 after reconsideration (503A grace period ended February 18, 2025; 503B ended March 19, 2025). FDA declared the semaglutide shortage resolved on February 21, 2025 (503A grace period ended April 22, 2025; 503B ended May 22, 2025). After those dates, a pharmacy may compound a GLP-1 only for a documented patient specific clinical need, such as an allergy to an excipient or a dose strength that is not commercially available, and FDA has warned about products made from salt forms and unapproved dosing. Manufacturer direct-to-consumer cash programs now supply branded vials and pens outside insurance. On April 30, 2026 FDA proposed not to include semaglutide, tirzepatide, or liraglutide on the 503B bulks list, after tentatively finding no clinical need for outsourcing facilities to compound them from bulk; that proposal was not final as of September 2026. [3] [8] [15]

Prices by channel: semaglutide cost, tirzepatide cost.

Approvals, shortage history, and prices for every GLP-1 we track are on the GLP-1 hub.

What is the legal access path?

Are research use only peptides legal to buy?

Peptides labeled "for research use only" or "not for human consumption" are not exempt from federal drug law when they are marketed or sold for human use. Introducing an unapproved new drug into interstate commerce, or selling a misbranded drug, is a prohibited act under 21 U.S.C. 331 and the new drug approval requirement in 21 U.S.C. 355. FDA has issued warning letters to online sellers marketing peptides such as BPC-157 and other compounds with health claims, and FDA compounding risk alerts describe specific safety problems seen in unapproved peptide products. No state licenses these sellers as pharmacies. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Notes on specific peptides

Compare: Semaglutide vs tirzepatide.

Frequently asked questions

From the blog

• Can you get a GLP-1 through telehealth in your state?

  Yes in every state, but the rules for the visit, the prescriber's license, and the pharmacy differ. How state telehealth law shapes GLP-1 access, with ten state examples.

Sources

Numbered citations above point to these primary sources: the state statute or rule, the pharmacy board, and federal FDA guidance.