Made to order needs its own explanation.

As recorded on September 26, 2026, compounded medicine has no FDA approval. Before this medicine reaches patients, FDA does not review its safety, whether it works as intended or whether it is properly made.

Compounding may address a medical need left unmet by an approved product. Meeting that need does not confer approval on the prepared medicine.

FDA confirmed the tirzepatide shortage was resolved on December 19, 2024.

An outsourcing facility prepares medicine in batches, commonly for hospitals and clinics. It registers with FDA and makes sterile medicine, meaning medicine without living germs.

During the shortage, FDA had temporarily said it would not take action over certain rules tied to the shortage. For pharmacies filling prescriptions, the February 18, 2025 cutoff became March 5, 2025, when the court ruled. For facilities making batches, it ended on March 19, 2025.

FDA's national shortage list did not include tirzepatide as of September 26, 2026.

Federal law, as recorded on September 26, 2026, restricts regular or large-scale compounding of close copies of medicines that are available.

For a pharmacy to prepare medicine for a specific patient, the person writing the prescription must decide that the change makes an important medical difference to that patient. A lower price, by itself, does not satisfy this rule.

For example, medicine prepared to order may omit a dye because of a patient's allergy to it. That is a general example, not proof that you need a changed version of tirzepatide.