Start with the words
What does medicine approval tell you?
Look for the product that was reviewed, the use it was reviewed for, and the form of the medicine.
What FDA means
The Food and Drug Administration is the US drug agency, usually called FDA. Approval means it has reviewed a named product for a particular use.
At the September 26, 2026 check, semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) had US approvals.
The brand, form, and use need to be read together. A drug name on its own leaves out some of that answer.
What a registration tells you
FDA registration is a record about a business. As of September 26, 2026, being registered did not mean FDA had approved the business or its medicine.
A drug code called an NDC, meaning National Drug Code, also does not prove approval.
Ask for the approved product name rather than treating a badge or a code as the answer.
What a made-to-order label leaves open
A medicine prepared to order is called a compounded preparation. As of September 26, 2026, those preparations are not FDA-approved.
Before they are offered, FDA does not confirm their quality, safety, or ability to work.
Ask why the person giving care proposes a medicine made to order instead of an approved product.