A word with a specific scope
An approval has a named product and a named purpose
In a few words
For an FDA-approved drug, the Food and Drug Administration has assessed that product for a specific use. It is the US medicine regulator.
Ask what the approval actually covers
As of September 2026, semaglutide (Wegovy) had approved weight-management uses with food and activity changes.
Semaglutide sold as Ozempic had diabetes-related uses. In September 2026, Ozempic came as tablets and injections; the approved uses depended on which product was being offered.
Get the product and the proposed use written next to each other. That pair is more useful than a broad promise about fat or muscle.
Keep your own aim in view. “I want to talk about body fat” and “I want help with my weight” are ways to open a conversation, not requests for a particular drug.
A similar name is not the same review
A compounded preparation does not receive FDA approval before it is marketed, under the rules checked in September 2026.
That distinction remains even when its ingredient name matches an approved medicine.
Read what “compounded” means Compare that with “generic”