Peptide legality by country

FDA-approved peptides

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus), Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), Tesamorelin (Egrifta), HGH (Genotropin, Humatrope, Norditropin, Omnitrope, others), and a handful of others are prescription medicines. Obtain from a licensed pharmacy against a valid prescription.

503A compounding

Compounding pharmacies operating under section 503A of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act may compound drugs for identified patients. The FDA publishes a bulk drug substances list; substances not on it cannot be legally compounded for human use. BPC-157 was removed from the nominated list in 2023. Shortage-driven compounding of semaglutide/tirzepatide has been actively restricted as those products exited FDA shortage status.

Research-use-only peptides

BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, MOTS-c, and the broader research catalog are sold by US vendors as RUO — "not for human consumption." The vendor's sale is not inherently illegal; importing or injecting them for human use is unapproved by the FDA.

Scheduled

Human Growth Hormone distribution outside its FDA-approved indications is criminalized under 21 U.S.C. §333(e). Selank and Semax are not scheduled federally but some states have considered them.

Prescription-only medicines (POM)

Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Tesamorelin, HGH, and related approved peptides are POM under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. Private clinics can prescribe the obesity-licensed GLP-1 agents; NHS access is more restricted.

Research chemicals

The MHRA considers research peptides unlicensed medicines when supplied for human use. Possession for personal research is typically tolerated; supply or promotion for human use exposes the seller to regulatory action under the 2012 regulations.

AAS-adjacent and scheduled items

Anabolic steroids are Class C controlled drugs. GH itself is POM, not controlled — possession without a script is not criminalized, but supply is.

TGA-scheduled

Australia's regulatory posture is stricter than the US or UK. The Therapeutic Goods Administration classifies most injectable peptides as Schedule 4 (prescription-only) regardless of whether an Australian registration exists. Personal importation under the TGA's 3-month personal-import rule still requires a valid prescription.

In 2023 the TGA further tightened rules around compounded injectable peptides via pharmacy compounding, and customs routinely intercepts research-grade shipments.

Prescription peptides

Health Canada regulates peptide medicines under the Food and Drug Regulations. Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, HGH, and Tesamorelin (where registered) are Schedule F / prescription drugs.

Personal import

Canada's personal-importation allowance permits up to a 90-day supply of an unapproved drug for personal use, provided the compound is not a controlled substance and is for a serious medical need. Interpretation varies between CBSA ports of entry. HGH is a controlled drug under Schedule IV of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act — personal import is not permitted.

Arzneimittelgesetz (AMG)

Germany's medicines law (AMG) makes any substance "intended for human use" an Arzneimittel — legal only through licensed pharmacies against prescription. Research peptides sold explicitly "nicht für den menschlichen Verzehr" fall outside AMG while labeled as such, but use on a person re-triggers AMG.

Anti-Doping-Gesetz (AntiDopG)

Germany's 2015 anti-doping statute criminalizes possession of "non-trivial" quantities of certain substances — HGH, IGF-1, GH secretagogues, and some other peptide classes are listed in the annex. Thresholds exist but are compound-specific.