What do these words mean?

Has this exact medicine been reviewed?

U.S. medicines are reviewed by an agency called the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

An FDA approval applies to the particular medicine and use the agency has reviewed.

That is different from approving every product called a peptide.

In September 2026, approved uses for semaglutide included blood sugar care for adults with type 2 diabetes (Ozempic) and weight care (Wegovy).

The labels call for changes to food and activity along with the medicine.

Ask: What is the medicine's name, and what is the reason for offering it to me?

What does made to order mean?

With a compounded medicine, the preparation is tailored to a need instead of being the drug company's finished product.

The FDA's examples of needing a different preparation include an allergy to dye and difficulty swallowing tablets.

As of September 2026, custom preparation can be legal even though the resulting medicine lacks FDA approval.

A custom medicine reaches sale without an FDA check of its safety, its quality or whether it works, as of September 2026.

Ask: What need does this change meet, and which pharmacy will make it?

Is registration the same as approval?

FDA registered means the place is listed with the FDA.

Under the September 2026 federal rule, this listing gives neither the place nor its medicines FDA approval.

It also does not show that a medicine can be sold legally under that rule.

Ask: Has this exact medicine been approved, and for what use?

Does this label make it a care option?

A research label does not make an online peptide product an approved treatment.

In letters available as of September 2026, the FDA said a research label did not change products offered for human use into research chemicals.

The agency said sending those unapproved drugs across state lines broke federal law.

Ask: Is this being offered as medical care, or as a research chemical?