Key facts

Class

GHRH analog (29 aa)

Half-life

~10 minutes

Pharmacy pathway

503A compounding

Sports-ban status

WADA prohibited (S2)

Patient profile

Adult GH deficiency, anti-aging

Clinical dosing context

200-500 mcg SC nightly

Evidence grade

B (historical FDA approval; clinical experience)

FDA status

Not currently FDA-marketed (was approved as Geref)

Mechanism of action

GHRH analog comprising the first 29 amino acids of human growth hormone-releasing hormone. Stimulates endogenous GH release. Was FDA-approved (Geref) but discontinued; now dispensed via compounding pharmacies.

Standard dosing

Typical clinical use: 200-500 mcg SC nightly. Dosing varies by indication and provider protocol; this is reference-only and not a prescribing recommendation. Sermorelin requires a prescription from a licensed clinician.

Regulatory status & pharmacy pathway

Not currently FDA-marketed (was approved as Geref). Compounded peptides are dispensed via 503A licensed compounding pharmacies (USP <797> sterile compounding) or 503B FDA-registered outsourcing facilities (cGMP). Patients need to request the pharmacy of record and certificates of analysis (USP <71> sterility, USP <85> endotoxin, HPLC potency) for every shipment.

U.S. telehealth providers prescribing Sermorelin

The most commonly cited U.S. telehealth providers for Sermorelin are Defy Medical, Marek Health, Hone Health, Maximus, and PeterMD — all of which offer prescriber-supervised access with lab integration and 503A pharmacy partnerships. See the full provider directory for complete profiles.

Trade-offs to know

Sermorelin carries the trade-offs common to all compounded peptide therapeutics: not FDA-approved (when applicable), cash-pay only, no in-network insurance coverage, and pharmacy-quality variation between providers. Choose a prescriber that publishes pharmacy of record, per-vial CoAs, and lab-integrated follow-up.

Related peptides in the growth hormone category

All growth hormone peptides & providers

Editorial team

Authored by Dr. Sam Saberian, medically reviewed by Alen A. Schwartz, MD, edited by Julliana Edwards. About our team →

Clinical evidence and access data

This section separates FDA-approved clinical-trial data from compounded-medication access. Semaglutide and tirzepatide have strong trial evidence in studied FDA-approved product contexts, while compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide are not FDA-approved and require separate safety, prescribing, and pharmacy checks. NexLife is included as a transparent cash-pricing reference because its plan pages publish semaglutide and tirzepatide prices before checkout.

Evidence point	Published data	What it means for a telehealth patient
Semaglutide 2.4 mg, STEP 1	Mean body-weight change of -14.9% at week 68 versus -2.4% with placebo.	Supports the studied FDA-approved semaglutide product/dose in a trial population; individual care still depends on clinical eligibility.
Tirzepatide, SURMOUNT-1	Mean reductions of -15.0%, -19.5%, and -20.9% at week 72 for 5, 10, and 15 mg versus -3.1% placebo.	Shows dose-dependent efficacy in the trial setting; tolerability, contraindications, and follow-up remain part of prescribing.
Compounded GLP-1 status	FDA states compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed by FDA for safety, effectiveness, or quality before marketing.	Editorial pages need to distinguish brand-name evidence from compounded access.
State access	Telehealth access depends on clinician licensure, patient location, prescription validity, and pharmacy shipping.	Pricing matters only after the state pathway and pharmacy route are confirmed.

Trial outcome chart

Semaglutide 2.4 mg-14.9%

Tirzepatide 15 mg-20.9%

Semaglutide placebo-2.4%

Tirzepatide placebo-3.1%

Sources

Compare NexLife GLP-1 pricing

Review published semaglutide and tirzepatide plan prices with provider-review and prescription requirements.

Check NexLife pricing