The short answer
You should ask. Your semaglutide or tirzepatide is prepared for you by a licensed, LegitScript certified U.S. compounding pharmacy that we name, in a sealed vial, with a certificate of analysis for every batch. Because it is made for one patient, it does not go through the FDA approval process, and we will never tell you it is the same as a brand-name drug.
What is true
- Your medication is prepared for you by a licensed, LegitScript certified U.S. compounding pharmacy, in a sealed vial, with a certificate of analysis for every batch. Because it is made for one patient and not mass-produced, it does not go through the FDA approval process. That is true of all compounded medication in the United States.
- Brand-name drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound are mass-produced and approved by the FDA. They are different products from compounded medication.
- The FDA has warned about problems with some compounded GLP-1s: wrong doses measured at home, packages arriving warm, and sellers who hide where the drug comes from. Those are the problems our process is built to prevent.
- A pharmacy license is the minimum. You should also know the pharmacy’s name, so you can look it up.
What we do about it
- We name our pharmacies. Emerald Compounding Pharmacy in Tampa, Florida, and Vios Compounding in Livonia, Michigan. Both are LegitScript certified, and so is our clinic.
- A sealed vial, made for you. The pharmacy prepares and seals each vial for one named patient. It travels in cold shipping to our Bellevue clinic and is handed to you cold. We never mix medication in the clinic.
- Every batch is tested. Each medication batch has a certificate of analysis (COA). Each new lot of active ingredient is tested before the pharmacy uses it. We can show you the certificates on request.
- Every patient is seen in person. We do not run an online-only program. You collect your medication at your monthly visit.
- You can ask about brand-name. Our team explains compounded versus brand-name medication at your visit.
How to check any compounding pharmacy yourself
- The state license. Search the pharmacy name on its state health department site. Emerald holds Florida license PH35337 with a sterile compounding permit. Vios holds Michigan license 5301012340.
- The FDA record. At fda.gov, search for “compounding inspections” and look for the pharmacy name. Vios was inspected in 2023, made the corrections the FDA asked for, and in April 2024 the FDA closed the matter with no further action.
- LegitScript. Search the name at legitscript.com. LegitScript is an independent company that checks a healthcare business’s licenses, owners and practices, and keeps monitoring it. Google and Meta require it before a clinic may advertise prescription medication.
- The certificate of analysis. Ask the clinic to show it. If a seller cannot tell you which pharmacy made your vial, stop there.
Common questions
Is compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide FDA approved?
Your medication is prepared for you by a licensed, LegitScript certified U.S. compounding pharmacy, in a sealed vial, with a certificate of analysis for every batch. Because it is made for one patient and not mass-produced, it does not go through the FDA approval process. That is true of all compounded medication in the United States. Brand-name products such as Wegovy and Zepbound are mass-produced and FDA approved. They are different products, and we will never tell you they are the same.
Which pharmacies does Washington Trim Clinic use?
Emerald Compounding Pharmacy in Tampa, Florida, and Vios Compounding in Livonia, Michigan. Both are state licensed and LegitScript certified.
What is a certificate of analysis?
A certificate of analysis, or COA, is a lab report for one batch of medication. It records what was tested and the results. Every batch we dispense has one, and you can ask to see it.
Do you mix the medication at the clinic?
No. Each vial is prepared and sealed by the licensed pharmacy for one named patient and arrives in cold shipping. We never mix or dilute medication in the clinic.
More honest answers
Sources
Compounded medication is made for one patient, so it does not go through the FDA approval process. How we choose and check our pharmacies. Trial figures on this page describe brand-name products and are not a promise of results. Individual results vary. This page is general information, not medical advice.
