What changed for custom weight medicines?

The national shortage exception has changed

The FDA, the federal medicine agency, keeps a national list of drug shortages; a single pharmacy having no stock is a separate matter. A

Neither semaglutide injections nor tirzepatide injections remained on that shortage list as of September 26, 2026. B

The shortage-based allowance for making copies does not carry on simply because a local pharmacy has no stock. C

A patient-specific change needs a reason

As of September 26, 2026, federal law restricts routine copying by compounding pharmacies, which make medicines to order. D

Under the copying rule, a change to medicine for an identified patient may be permitted if the prescriber finds that it makes a medically significant difference for that patient. D

For example, removing a dye that causes an allergy may meet a patient’s need. The prescriber still has to decide whether the change meets the copying rule for that patient. E

A lower price alone is not that medical difference. D

An added vitamin does not settle the question

Adding a vitamin to a semaglutide injection may still leave it essentially a copy of an already-made product, the FDA says as of September 26, 2026. F

Essentially a copy means similar enough to fall under the copying restriction; the individual patient’s documented need still matters. F

Ask about research medicines by name

The FDA’s position as of September 26, 2026, is that federal law forbids compounding cagrilintide or retatrutide. G

The FDA has not found those medicines safe and effective for any condition. G

Treat a claim about a different medicine as a fresh question, rather than carrying over a rule from semaglutide.