Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. It works with pathways involved in appetite and fullness, helping reduce hunger and food intake.

By helping regulate appetite and slow gastric emptying, semaglutide can help you feel fuller sooner and stay satisfied longer, which may support reduced food intake over time. Individual results vary, and any weight-loss goal should be paired with guidance from your provider.

Semaglutide acts on the GLP-1 pathway alone, while tirzepatide acts on both the GIP and GLP-1 pathways. Neither is the right choice for everyone. Your provider reviews your health history and goals to decide whether either option may be appropriate for you, and results vary. The compounded versions of both are not FDA-approved.

Compounded semaglutide is typically administered as a once-weekly injection. Your provider will confirm your exact schedule as part of your treatment plan.

Your provider determines your starting dose and any adjustments based on your health history, goals, and how you respond to treatment. Doses are typically increased gradually over time.

Gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation are common, especially when starting treatment or increasing your dose. Serious risks may include pancreatitis and gallbladder problems — see the full safety information on this page.

Contact your care team for guidance if you miss a dose. Do not adjust your dose or schedule on your own without speaking to your provider.

Semaglutide is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), and is not for use during pregnancy. Your provider reviews your full health history to confirm whether treatment is appropriate for you.

No. Compounded medications are prepared by state-licensed compounding pharmacies and are not FDA-approved. They have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. A licensed provider determines whether treatment is appropriate for you.

Wegovy® (for weight management) and Ozempic® (for type 2 diabetes) are FDA-approved, brand-name semaglutide medicines. FDA reviewed them for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality before they were marketed. Compounded semaglutide has not had that review and is not FDA-approved; it is dispensed by a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy under an individual patient's prescription. Results from the brand-name clinical trials do not establish how a compounded preparation will work, and compounded preparations can differ from the brand-name medicines, and from each other, in strength and inactive ingredients. FDA says a compounded drug might be appropriate if a patient's medical need cannot be met by an FDA-approved drug, and it has received reports of adverse events, including some that may be related to dosing errors, involving compounded semaglutide (FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs). Your provider decides which option, if any, is appropriate for you, and you can ask about FDA-approved options. Wegovy® and Ozempic® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S, which is not affiliated with Boca.

There are three things you can check before you pay anyone, and one resource that helps. A prescription should come only after a clinician licensed in your state reviews your health history. The pharmacy that dispenses your medication should hold a state pharmacy license, which the state board of pharmacy that issued it can confirm. And the provider should say plainly that compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved and is not a copy of, generic version of, or substitute for a brand-name medicine. Treat it as a warning sign if a seller offers semaglutide without a prescription, labels it "for research use only", or sells "semaglutide sodium" or "semaglutide acetate", which FDA says are different active ingredients from the one in approved drugs. FDA's BeSafeRx explains other signs of an unsafe online pharmacy. Boca is LegitScript-certified, which you can look up on LegitScript's site. Certification means Boca meets LegitScript's standards for transparency and legal compliance. It is not an endorsement of any medication, and it does not mean a compounded medication is FDA-approved.

You can apply. A provider licensed in your state reviews your health history, including the medication and dose you take now, and decides whether to prescribe compounded semaglutide and at what dose. Compounded semaglutide is not Wegovy® or Ozempic®, is not a substitute for them, and is not FDA-approved. If you take Wegovy® or Ozempic® now, you can ask your provider about staying on an FDA-approved option. Your current dose does not carry over automatically, and completing an intake does not guarantee a prescription. Compounded semaglutide can come in different strengths from different pharmacies, so the same number of units may not be the same dose: follow the label and instructions for the medication you actually receive. Keep following your current provider's instructions until a new plan is in place, and have your current prescription details ready for the intake. Plan prices, billing schedule and renewal terms are on our pricing page. Wegovy® and Ozempic® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S, which is not affiliated with Boca.