Last medically reviewed: October 15, 2026 · This page is informational and does not constitute medical advice.
This page is maintained. Prices are re-read at source and dated; evidence is checked against the published trial. Newest across the site: news · research · corrections.
A dated log of what changed in this market. 22 items, newest October 15, 2026. Every entry names its source; where a figure has been withdrawn, the corrections log says so.
FDA’s Category 2 page, current as of April 22, 2026, lists BPC-157, TB-500 and CJC-1295 as “nominated but withdrawn”. We had described BPC-157 as a Category 2 substance; the correction is logged as COR-005.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Nothing changes in practice: BPC-157 is still not on the 503A bulks list or in Category 1, so a pharmacy compounding it is outside FDA’s framework.
We re-read 19 programs’ own pages. Eden now charges $129 (tirzepatide) and $99 (semaglutide) a month with no membership. Shed’s tirzepatide fell to $239–$299 and Oak’s to $185 on 12 months; TrimRx charges $399 after the first month.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Compare standing prices, not first-month stickers; several low prices need a 12-month plan.
Source: first-party price pages, read October 15, 2026 (confirmed)
· Coverage
Walmart will cover Ozempic and Mounjaro for employees with type 2 diabetes in 2027, but not weight-loss GLP-1s
CNBC reports that Walmart, the largest private U.S. employer, will cover more than 250 prescriptions at no cost to employees in 2027, including Ozempic and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes after prior authorization. Weight-loss GLP-1s stay excluded.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Employees using a GLP-1 for weight loss remain in the cash-pay market.
A paid press release says Ozari One offers compounded semaglutide at $86 and tirzepatide at $125 a month billed quarterly, outside California, and Ozari Select costs $99–$175 (semaglutide) and $140–$235 (tirzepatide) by billing term. We have not read Ozari’s own pages, so it is not in our index.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Treat press-release prices as claims until the seller’s own checkout page shows them.
FDA updates its page on unapproved GLP-1s: retatrutide and cagrilintide cannot be compounded
FDA’s page, current as of October 1, 2026, says retatrutide and cagrilintide “cannot be used in compounding under federal law”, tells patients to discard compounded multi-dose vials 28 days after first use, and reports 990 adverse-event reports for compounded semaglutide and more than 730 for compounded tirzepatide as of May 31, 2026.
What it means for cash-pay patients: A seller offering retatrutide is selling an investigational drug outside any lawful route.
Rhode Island Medicaid stops covering GLP-1s prescribed only for weight loss
Under the state’s fiscal 2027 budget, Rhode Island Medicaid ended coverage of Foundayo, Saxenda, Wegovy and Zepbound when prescribed solely for weight loss. Coverage continues for type 2 diabetes and other approved indications.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Affected members move to self-pay channels such as LillyDirect, NovoCare or telehealth, or stop.
Medicare GLP-1 Bridge extended through December 31, 2027
CMS says the Bridge runs from July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027 with a $50 copay, outside the Part D benefit, with prior authorization. It covers Foundayo, Wegovy and the Zepbound KwikPen only, for people with a BMI of 35 or more (or 30 or 27 and above with listed conditions); people with type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease are not eligible. A CMS FAQ on the BALANCE page (modified September 29, 2026) refers to “the BALANCE Model not launching in Medicare in 2027”. Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Eligible Medicare enrollees can pay $50 a month for a covered GLP-1 instead of self-pay prices.
Two men charged over counterfeit Ozempic sourced from China
FDA says federal prosecutors charged two Indian nationals with conspiracy and smuggling over counterfeit Ozempic distributed between July 2023 and April 2024. An indictment is an allegation only.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Buy brand GLP-1s only through licensed pharmacies or the manufacturers’ own channels.
FDA warns two websites selling unapproved injectable semaglutide
Warning letters 737806 and 737810, posted October 6, say onlinegenericmedicine.com and cheapmedicineshop.com sold unapproved, misbranded semaglutide injections branded “Semanat” and “Semanext”.
What it means for cash-pay patients: “Generic semaglutide” sold online is not an approved product in the U.S.
FDA warning letter to Empower Pharmacy over compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide
Warning letter 738238, posted September 22, says Empower’s tirzepatide/niacinamide and semaglutide/cyanocobalamin products “appear to be essentially copies of FDA-approved semaglutide and tirzepatide products” and cites insanitary conditions.
What it means for cash-pay patients: Ask which pharmacy fills your prescription and check it against FDA’s warning letters.
Letters dated August 24 went to Peak Performance Peptides, Peptide Partners, Tex Peptides, NuScience Peptides and Royal Peptides. FDA said “research use only” labels did not stop the products being drugs for human use, citing the bacteriostatic water sold alongside them.
What it means for cash-pay patients: A “research use only” label is not a lawful route to a prescription peptide.
State board registers, FDA warning letters, the 503B list and openFDA recalls are searchable by company name — so a provider that will not name its pharmacy has ended the conversation.
Membership fees outside the headline, dose tiers, introductory rates and prepay-only pricing. They stack, and all four are visible if you ask four questions.
A generic referencing Victoza was approved in December 2024 and one referencing Saxenda in August 2025. It is the cheapest approved route and the least effective.
FDA staff proposed not adding BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, Semax, Epitalon or emideltide to the 503A bulks list. The committee reportedly voted to recommend all but emideltide. As of October 15, 2026 FDA had posted no vote record and proposed no rule.
What it means for cash-pay patients: None of the seven may be compounded under 503A today.