Primer · the first word
What does “peptide” mean?
A label says “peptide therapy.” That phrase sounds precise. It is not.
Picture this
Picture three boxes on a counter. They may all use the word peptide, yet each can sit in a different part of the health system.
Peptide
Chemists use the word for a short string of amino acids, the units proteins are made from. Insulin counts as one, and so does the hormone in a weight-loss injection. The word describes chemistry. On its own, the word says nothing about whether a product is approved, legal, or safe.
FDA-approved medicine
This is a specific product reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration for a named use. Semaglutide is the medicine inside Ozempic and Wegovy. Tirzepatide is the medicine inside Mounjaro and Zepbound. Both have FDA-approved products, which is why they are the examples here.
Compounded medicine
A pharmacist or doctor makes this to order instead of using a finished factory product. No FDA approval covers it, and no FDA review happens before a patient receives it.
Approval and compounding details here are current as of September 2026.
Next in the guideSee the three paths side by side