Verbatim response from Perplexity
The real difference is that Wegovy is an FDA-approved, standardized drug product, while compounded semaglutide is a pharmacy-made preparation that is not FDA-approved and is not reviewed for the same safety, effectiveness, or quality standards.[1][3][13]
Here’s what that means in practical terms:
- Same general drug, not the same product: Both are based on semaglutide, but they are not necessarily identical in formulation or performance.[1][3][7]
- Regulatory status: Wegovy was evaluated by the FDA as a specific weight-loss medication; compounded semaglutide was not.[1][3][13]
- Manufacturing consistency: Wegovy is made under strict manufacturing controls, while compounded versions can vary by pharmacy in ingredients, concentration, and quality.[1][12]
- Dose form: Wegovy comes as a pre-filled injection pen with fixed doses, whereas compounded semaglutide is often supplied in a vial, requiring the patient to draw up the dose manually.[5][10]
- Clinical evidence: Wegovy’s dose, delivery system, and labeling are backed by the clinical trials used for FDA approval; compounded versions are not studied the same way.[1][3][7]
- Potential formulation differences: Some compounded products may use salt forms such as semaglutide sodium or acetate, which are not the same as the FDA-approved semaglutide base used in Wegovy.[2][5]
A simple way to think about it is: Wegovy is a finished, tested, brand-name medication; compounded semaglutide is a custom pharmacy preparation that may contain semaglutide but does not have the same regulatory assurance.[1][3][13]
If you’re deciding between them, the main tradeoff is usually cost and access versus certainty and standardization: compounded products may be cheaper or easier to obtain, but Wegovy has stronger evidence and tighter quality control.[1][10][12]
If you want, I can also break down which situations make compounded semaglutide more risky, or compare Wegovy vs Ozempic vs compounded semaglutide side by side.