GLP-1 questions
How the program works, what you are actually getting, and what it costs. For the medical detail — warnings, who should not take these medications, side effects — see the GLP-1 Safety Information.
What we offer
What medications do you offer? Two kinds, and the difference matters. Zepbound® (tirzepatide) is FDA-approved, and we dispense it through our pharmacy partner. Compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide are compounded preparations and are not FDA-approved. All of them are prescription medications, and all of them are prescribed only after a licensed medical professional evaluates you.
Are the compounded ones FDA-approved? No. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and the FDA has not evaluated them for safety, effectiveness, or quality. Compounding is permitted under federal and state law in defined circumstances, and the decision to prescribe a compounded medication is made by your licensed medical professional, for you individually.
Is a compounded version the same as the brand-name medication? No. A compounded preparation is not the FDA-approved product, and published trial results for the approved products were produced with those products, not with compounded ones. If you want the FDA-approved option, you can have it — that is why it is on the page.
Then why would I choose a compounded one? Usually cost, sometimes availability, and sometimes a clinical reason your licensed medical professional will explain — a dose or a form that the approved product does not come in. It is a real trade-off, not a technicality: you are choosing a preparation the FDA has not evaluated. Your licensed medical professional will talk it through with you, and either answer is a legitimate one.
Can I choose which one I get? You can tell us which program you are interested in, and we will start there. It is a preference, not a prescription. A licensed medical professional reviews your history and makes the final decision, and may recommend a different medication, a different form, or no medication at all.
Do I need labs first? No. Labs are not required to start a GLP-1 program. We think bloodwork makes the program better — it is how you see your metabolic markers move rather than only watching the scale — but it is not a gate, and you can add a panel at any point.
Where your medication comes from
Who makes it? Biomarker Health does not manufacture or compound any medication. Zepbound® is made by Eli Lilly and reaches you through our pharmacy partner in the manufacturer's own packaging. A compounded preparation is prepared and dispensed by a U.S. state-licensed pharmacy, regulated by the pharmacy board of the state it operates in.
Which pharmacy will fill my prescription? We work with more than one licensed compounding pharmacy, and which one fills a given prescription depends on the medication, your state, and availability at the time. If you want to know who filled yours specifically, ask your care team and we will tell you — it is on the label of what you receive.
Why doesn't my medication look like the picture on your website? For the compounded products, the pictures are illustrations rather than photographs of what you will receive — vials, bottles, cartons, and labels differ between pharmacies and can change, which is why those images are captioned as illustrations. Zepbound® arrives in Eli Lilly's own packaging and does look like its picture. In every case, what matters is what the pharmacy label says. If anything about what arrives looks wrong to you, do not use it — message your care team first.
Is it available in my state? Not everywhere. Compounded GLP-1s are not available in every state, and availability changes. We check your state during signup and tell you before you are charged rather than after.
Starting, switching, and stopping
How does signing up work? You create an account and complete a medical intake — a few minutes, not an afternoon. A licensed medical professional reviews it, usually within hours, and decides whether a prescription is appropriate. You are charged only if you are approved.
I'm already on a GLP-1. Can I move my prescription here? Yes, and you do not restart from the beginning. Tell us what you are taking and your current dose during intake, and a licensed medical professional picks up from where you are rather than titrating you from zero again.
What if I'm not approved? You are not charged, and it is not a dead end. We will offer you a visit with a licensed medical professional to talk through why and what else might fit.
How is it taken? All three are given as an injection under the skin, once a week, on the same day each week. Your licensed medical professional sets your dose and any changes to it. See the Safety Information for detail.
Do you offer a pill? No. There is an FDA-approved semaglutide tablet, but we do not currently dispense it, and we do not offer a compounded one. Semaglutide is destroyed by stomach acid unless it is formulated with a specific absorption enhancer that only the approved product uses — so a compounded capsule cannot tell you how much medication is actually reaching you. If a tablet is what you want, say so and your care team will talk through your options.
What are the side effects? Most commonly nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal discomfort, usually worst in the first few weeks. There are also less common but serious risks, including a class warning about thyroid C-cell tumors. Read the GLP-1 Safety Information before you start — not after.
What happens if I stop? Appetite and weight often return toward where they were before, which is why we treat the medication as one part of a plan rather than the whole plan. Protein targets, resistance training, and a re-test cadence are what the medication is supposed to buy you room to build. Talk to your care team before stopping.
Cost and cancellation
What is included in the price? Your medication, review and ongoing care by a licensed medical professional, dose changes, side-effect support, and messaging with your care team. There is no separate membership fee.
Do you take insurance? No. We are cash-pay by design — no insurance, no referral, no surprise bill weeks later.
Can I use an HSA or FSA card? Usually, yes. Eligibility is set by your plan administrator, not by us, so check with them if you need certainty before you pay.
Can I cancel? Yes, anytime, and you keep what you have already been dispensed. Medication already shipped cannot be returned or refunded — that is a pharmacy rule, not ours.
Wegovy®, Ozempic®, and Rybelsus® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S. Zepbound® and Mounjaro® are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company. Those products are FDA-approved and are not compounded. Biomarker Health is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by either company.