A pharmacy licensed to prepare customized medications, including compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs, outside of standard manufacturer production.
Updated Sep 26, 2026
A compounding pharmacy is a licensed pharmacy that prepares customized medications by mixing or altering ingredients to meet a specific need, such as a different dose, form, or formulation than what's commercially manufactured. Compounding pharmacies have played a significant role in the GLP-1 space by producing compounded semaglutide and similar products, particularly during brand-name drug shortages. The semaglutide shortage was declared resolved in February 2025, which narrowed when compounding is permitted. Compounded products, including these, are not FDA-approved.
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Related terms
Semaglutide salt forms — Versions of semaglutide such as semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate, which the FDA says are different active ingredients from the semaglutide base used in approved drugs, with no known lawful basis for compounding.
Open enrollment — The annual window when you can enroll in or change your health plan, and the time to compare GLP-1 coverage across the plans available to you.
P&T committee (Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee) — The panel of physicians, pharmacists, and other clinicians that reviews the clinical evidence behind a plan's formulary: which drugs are acceptable, which are interchangeable, and what restrictions apply.
API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) — The raw drug substance in a medication that produces its effect — for example, semaglutide itself, before it is formulated into a pen or vial.
Certificate of analysis (CoA) — A document reporting the lab test results for a specific batch of a drug ingredient or product, such as identity, purity, and contaminants.
Related guides
Applying for a GLP-1 patient assistance program: step by step — Novo Nordisk's PAP and Lilly Cares can provide Ozempic or Trulicity free to people who qualify by income and insurance status, but as of September 2026 neither covers Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda, or Foundayo. Here's who qualifies, the 2026 income limits in dollars, the documents you need, your prescriber's role, turnaround and renewal, what to do if you're denied, and how PAPs differ from savings cards and direct-pay.