How to Check FDA's Drug Shortage Database for GLP-1s Yourself

FDA's Drug Shortages database is a free public lookup, and a single word in it, "Resolved," is what ended the legal basis for mass-compounded copies of semaglutide and tirzepatide. As of October 18, 2026, both injections show as Resolved, while liraglutide injection is still listed as Currently in Shortage. Here is how to read the database yourself and what each status means for compounding pharmacies.

What the database is, legally

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines a drug shortage as "a period of time when the demand or projected demand for the drug within the United States exceeds the supply of the drug" (FDA Drug Shortages FAQ). FDA's Drug Shortage staff assess supply and demand at the national level, relying mostly on information from manufacturers, and update the list daily (same source).

That definition is national. A local pharmacy being out of stock is not the same thing as a national shortage, and a national shortage can exist even if your pharmacy has the drug on the shelf.

How to look up a GLP-1, step by step

1. Open the database. Go to FDA's Drug Shortages page. Near the top are links to report a shortage, read the FAQ, sign up for email alerts and download current and historical shortage data.
2. Search by generic name. Use the "Search by Generic Name or Active Ingredient" box. Type "semaglutide," "tirzepatide" or "liraglutide," not a brand name. Entries are listed by ingredient and dosage form, such as "Liraglutide Injection" or "Semaglutide Tablet."
3. Pick the right tab. The page has four tabs: Current/Resolved Shortages, Discontinuations, Therapeutic Categories, and New and Updated (FDA). GLP-1 injections appear under Current/Resolved. Permanent discontinuations, such as a retired tablet strength, sit on their own tab.
4. Read the status first. Each entry shows "Currently in Shortage," "Resolved" or "Discontinuation." The status, not the product list underneath, is what has legal weight.
5. Open the detail page. For active shortages, the detail page shows the date first posted, therapeutic category, and a table for each manufacturer with columns for Presentation, Availability and Estimated Shortage Duration, Related Information, and Shortage Reason (FDA liraglutide entry). Each manufacturer block also shows when its data were last verified or revised.
6. Check the history if you need dates. As of October 2026, the Resolved entries for semaglutide and tirzepatide injection showed almost no detail. FDA's downloadable historical data and its compounding announcements are the better record of when a listing began and ended.

What "Resolved" means for 503A and 503B compounders

Compounders work under two sections of federal law. Section 503A covers state-licensed pharmacies filling patient-specific prescriptions. Section 503B covers registered outsourcing facilities that can make larger batches. The shortage list affects each differently.

503A pharmacies: the "essentially a copy" rule

A 503A pharmacy generally may not regularly compound drugs that are essentially copies of a commercially available drug. FDA's 2018 guidance says a drug is not considered commercially available if it "appears on the FDA drug shortage list in effect under section 506E." It then specifies that a drug appears on the list only if it is in "currently in shortage" status, not "resolved" status (FDA guidance on essentially copies, January 2018). The same guidance asks that a prescription compounded during a shortage carry a notation that the drug was on the shortage list.

Once a shortage resolves, the drug is commercially available again and the copy restriction applies. FDA's GLP-1 compounding page, current as of April 1, 2026, reminds compounders that a 503A pharmacy may not compound essentially copies "regularly or in inordinate amounts," and says FDA does not intend to take action against compounders who fill four or fewer prescriptions of such a product per calendar month (FDA). The guidance also allows a compounded drug that differs from the approved one when the prescriber determines the change makes a significant difference for that patient, documented on the prescription. FDA states that a lower price alone is not enough (FDA guidance).

503B outsourcing facilities: bulk drug substances

Outsourcing facilities may compound from bulk drug substances only if the substance is on the 503B bulks list or the finished drug is on FDA's shortage list at the time it is compounded, distributed and dispensed. FDA wrote, as of April 1, 2026, that "Tirzepatide and semaglutide do not currently appear on the 503B bulks list or on FDA's drug shortage list" (FDA).

Source: FDA FAQ, FDA 503A guidance, FDA GLP-1 compounding policy page. Simplified summary; other legal conditions also apply.

How the GLP-1 listings ended

We cover the semaglutide decision in depth elsewhere, so here is the short version from FDA's own timeline.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) had been in shortage for about two years (Medical Economics). FDA first declared it resolved on October 2, 2024. After the Outsourcing Facilities Association sued, the decision was sent back for reevaluation, and FDA issued a new resolution determination on December 19, 2024. The court denied a preliminary injunction on March 5, 2025. FDA then said the 503A enforcement grace period had ended, and the 503B period ran through March 19, 2025 (FDA).

Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) was declared resolved on February 21, 2025. FDA set the 503A grace period to run until April 22, 2025, or the date of the court's decision on a pending injunction motion, whichever came later. The court denied the injunction on April 24, 2025, ending that period, and the 503B period ran through May 22, 2025 (FDA).

The lesson for patients: the database status was the hinge. Litigation challenged FDA's reasoning, but the legal consequences flowed from the move from "Currently in Shortage" to "Resolved."

What the GLP-1 entries show in October 2026

Source: FDA Drug Shortages database entries for semaglutide injection, tirzepatide injection, liraglutide injection and semaglutide tablet.

Liraglutide: a shortage with available generics

The liraglutide entry is a good teaching example. FDA lists Novo Nordisk's Saxenda as having limited availability "until discontinuation in January 2027," and Victoza as limited due to a shipping delay with an estimated duration of "TBD." Meanwhile, generic liraglutide from Hikma and Meitheal, and a liraglutide product from Novo Nordisk distributed by Teva, are listed as available (FDA). The overall status remains Currently in Shortage, which is the line that matters legally.

Semaglutide tablets: a discontinuation, not a shortage

The Semaglutide Tablet entry, posted June 4, 2026, lists Rybelsus 3 mg, 7 mg and 14 mg as discontinued, with the note: "These products will be replaced by Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets" (FDA). The current label covers Ozempic tablets in 1.5 mg, 4 mg and 9 mg strengths (Rybelsus and Ozempic tablets prescribing information). A discontinuation listing is informational. It is not a sign that oral semaglutide is in shortage.

How to use this when a seller cites a "shortage"

If a clinic or website says it can offer a compounded copy because of a shortage, you can check the claim in under a minute. Search the ingredient, confirm the status reads "Currently in Shortage," and note the date of the manufacturer updates. If the status says "Resolved," the shortage rationale no longer applies under FDA's guidance, although a pharmacy may point to other grounds, such as a documented patient-specific change.

Keep the limits in mind. The database tells you about national supply, not about the quality, sterility or legality of any particular compounded product. It also changes: FDA updates it daily, and you can sign up for email alerts from the main page. For questions about whether a compounded product is right for you, talk with your prescriber and the dispensing pharmacist.

Sources

1. FDA Drug Shortages database
2. FDA: Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Shortages
3. FDA guidance: Compounded Drug Products That Are Essentially Copies of a Commercially Available Drug Product Under Section 503A (January 2018)
4. FDA: FDA clarifies policies for compounders as national GLP-1 supply begins to stabilize
5. Medical Economics: FDA clarifies compounder policies amid stabilizing GLP-1 supply
6. FDA Drug Shortages: Liraglutide Injection
7. FDA Drug Shortages: Semaglutide Tablet (Discontinuation)
8. FDA Drug Shortages: Semaglutide Injection (Resolved)
9. FDA Drug Shortages: Tirzepatide Injection (Resolved)
10. Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets prescribing information

Medical disclaimer: This article is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace a licensed clinician who knows your history. Approvals, labels, coverage and prices change; check the linked sources and talk with your prescriber or pharmacist before making decisions about any medication.