While Ozempic has been making headlines for some time now, and although the drug can curb hunger and cause significant weight loss, it’s not the main GLP-1 approved for that purpose. In fact, Ozempic, along with Mounjaro, is actually only approved for the management of type 2 diabetes (although it does get prescribed off-label for weight loss). Instead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three other GLP-1 medications for weight loss: Saxenda (liraglutide), Wegovy (semaglutide), and Zepbound (tirzepatide).
As of September 2024, 5 percent of prescriptions written by doctors across the United States were for GLP-1s.
Prescriptions for GLP-1 medications for weight management rose by 17 percent between December 2024 and March 2025.
The fast-growing demand for these weight loss medications made it difficult for pharmaceutical manufacturers to keep up, leading to a three-year shortage. In response, the FDA granted temporary approval to certain compounding pharmacies, allowing them to compound the drugs — or create copies of the brand-name drug — to help bridge the gap for patients looking to fill their GLP-1 prescriptions.
This led to a boom in online telehealth providers offering compounded GLP-1 medications — usually at much lower prices than the name-brand versions (which, on average, cost $12,000 a year without insurance coverage — a price that is way out of reach for many Americans).
However, in late 2024, the FDA declared that the shortages of Zepbound and Mounjaro were over, and in February of 2025, it did the same thing with semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy).
Compounders were given until May 22, 2025, to end the practice. And telehealth companies now have to wind down and eventually stop selling the compounded medications and switch to name brands like Wegovy and Zepbound.
They will still be able to sell the compounded GLP-1s that had been manufactured before May 22, until they run out. This has left many people who have been taking compounded GLP-1s for weight loss concerned about where, if anywhere, they can continue purchasing these medications. While insurance generally covers GLP-1s for the treatment of diabetes (though sometimes with limitations, depending on the insurance plan), far fewer insurance companies cover the medication for weight loss. Many insurers require prior authorization or a history of trying other treatments (known as step therapy) before covering the cost of these medications.
For example, even though coverage for the weight loss GLP-1 Wegovy increased in 2025, 85 percent of patients with coverage still face restrictions. The number of people with no insurance coverage for Zepbound, meanwhile, increased by 14 percent in 2025.
So, whether you’re already taking a GLP-1, looking for a new prescriber that offers alternatives to the compounded versions, or simply interested in seeing if you’d be a good candidate for this type of drug, we’re here to help. That’s why we’ve put together this list of online providers that, as of the time of publication, are still prescribing these medications. We will continue to update the list with any new developments.
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