Ivim Health Semaglutide: Hybrid In-Person and Telehealth Model

Does an in-person visit change which drug you get?

No. An exam in a clinic and a video call are two ways to reach a clinician, and neither identifies the product on the prescription. A program's visit options do not change what FDA has approved.

What FDA says to look for in a telehealth seller

FDA's page on unapproved GLP-1 drugs says patients should obtain a prescription from their doctor and fill it at a state-licensed pharmacy [3]. Its list of telehealth red flags includes a company that does not require a screening and prescription by a licensed doctor before providing medicine, one that has no licensed doctor available to answer questions after you receive the medication, one that sends medicine that looks different from what was pictured or arrives damaged or without instructions for use, and one that puts spelling errors, an incorrect pharmacy address or a possibly fraudulent pharmacy name on the label [3]. A company that claims a compounded drug is the same as an FDA-approved drug is also on the list [3].

Which semaglutide products are approved for weight management?

Wegovy is the semaglutide product with an FDA-approved weight-management indication. With a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, Wegovy injection is indicated to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults with obesity, or overweight plus at least one weight-related condition, and in patients aged 12 and older with obesity [1]. Wegovy tablets carry a weight-management indication for adults only; the label gives no pediatric indication for the tablets and says their safety was not established in pediatric patients [1].

Ozempic is approved for adults with type 2 diabetes: glycemic control, cardiovascular risk reduction in those with established cardiovascular disease, and kidney outcomes in those with chronic kidney disease. It carries no weight-loss indication [2].

What about compounded semaglutide?

FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA approved and are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality before marketing; as of 2026-05-31 it had received 990 adverse event reports for compounded semaglutide, a figure it says likely undercounts [3].

A pharmacy may compound for an identified patient on a prescription, and a product that is essentially a copy of an approved drug is permitted only if it is made rarely (FDA says it does not intend to act against four or fewer such prescriptions per calendar month) or if the prescriber documents a significant difference for that patient [4]. A semaglutide-plus-B12 injection can still be essentially a copy when the route matches and each strength is within 10% of the commercial product [4].

What the label says to watch for

All semaglutide labels carry a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents, with human relevance unknown, and contraindicate the drug in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2 [1]. Wegovy's warnings include acute pancreatitis, acute gallbladder disease, hypoglycemia with insulin or sulfonylureas, acute kidney injury from volume depletion, severe gastrointestinal reactions and hypersensitivity [1]. In pooled trials of Wegovy 2.4 mg in adults with obesity, nausea occurred in 44% versus 16% on placebo and vomiting in 24% versus 6%; 6.8% versus 3.2% stopped treatment for adverse reactions [1].