The evidence primer
Ask for evidence about the exact product and the problem you want addressed. The source needs to answer that question, rather than a nearby one.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews medicines for specific uses.
As of September 26, 2026, FDA-approved semaglutide brands include Wegovy for weight control and Ozempic for type 2 diabetes.
Both brands have tablet and injection versions; the approved uses can differ.
Ask the person prescribing: What is this medicine called, is it a tablet or injection, and what is it approved to treat?
FDA: what approval meansWhen a pharmacist or doctor makes medicine for a patient’s particular need, that process is called compounding.
Before a compounded medicine is sold, FDA does not review whether it is safe, meets quality standards or works well; this was checked September 26, 2026.
FDA recognises a possible role for compounding if a patient’s medical need goes unmet by an approved medicine.
For example, a dye allergy may explain why you need medicine made to order.
Still ask: What studies show that this medicine helps with my condition?
FDA: compounding explainedAs of September 26, 2026, BPC-157 is an unapproved peptide sold online, including as injections or nasal sprays.
FDA has little or no information about its safety in people for the ways sellers propose giving it.
FDA cannot tell from that information whether giving BPC-157 to people would cause harm.
If someone mentions BPC-157, ask what they want it to treat and what studies in people support that use.
FDA: peptide ingredient concernsOff-label means using an approved medicine for a purpose outside the uses on its FDA label.
As of September 28, 2026, the North Carolina Medical Board expects people offering new or off-label care to avoid exaggerating its benefits.
The board expects the person treating you to explain the risks, costs and what studies have not yet shown.
Ask for the uncertainty to be part of the written plan.
North Carolina: expectations for new careThe Federal Trade Commission says health adverts do not receive government approval before publication.
Take the main claim and ask: What supports this, for this product, for this problem? A badge or a striking headline leaves that question open.
FDA says a report of illness or injury after treatment is not proof that the medicine was responsible.
To work out how often harm happens, you need to know how many people took the medicine and how many were harmed.
Reports alone do not give that full count, so they cannot tell you the chance of harm.
FDA also says some problems with compounded semaglutide probably never reach its reporting system.
A report can prompt a question without settling the answer.
Mounjaro is the tirzepatide brand for type 2 diabetes; for weight control, tirzepatide is sold as Zepbound.
As of September 26, 2026, neither semaglutide injections nor tirzepatide appears on FDA’s national shortage list.
A pharmacy’s empty shelf does not prove that FDA has put a nationwide shortage on its list.
Ask what current record an offer relies on when it mentions a shortage.
FDA: supply and compounding updates