Are peptides legal in the Philippines?

This page reports what Philippine laws and FDA Philippines say, with the source for each point. It is not legal advice.

What makes a peptide legal to sell in the Philippines?

The law looks at the product, not at the word "peptide". A product that needs FDA Philippines registration may not be made, imported or sold until it is registered.

Three laws do most of the work:

• RA 3720, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, approved June 22, 1963.
• RA 9711, the FDA Act of 2009, approved August 18, 2009. It renamed the Bureau of Food and Drugs as the Food and Drug Administration and amended RA 3720, including its definitions, prohibited acts and penalties.
• RA 10918, the Philippine Pharmacy Act, approved July 21, 2016. It sets who may dispense medicines, where, and on what prescription.

Under RA 9711, "health products" means food, drugs, cosmetics, devices, biologicals, vaccines, in-vitro diagnostic reagents and household/urban hazardous substances. It also covers products that may have an effect on health which FDA decides need regulation.

A "drug" under RA 9711 includes articles intended for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, and articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body.

"Registration" is FDA's approval of an application to register a health product before it is manufactured, imported, sold, offered for sale or distributed.

Two separate FDA authorizations matter:

For prescription medicines, RA 10918 adds a third layer: who may hand them over, and on what paper. That is covered under "Prescriptions and telemedicine" below.

Registered, unregistered and unconfirmed: status by substance

Status differs by substance, and often by product. The table uses searches of the FDA Philippines Verification Portal on October 7, 2026, FDA Philippines advisories and searches of fda.gov.ph.

A search that finds no record is not an official FDA Philippines statement on a compound, so the status of retatrutide and BPC-157 stays unverified.

What about compounded products?

Compounding is a pharmacist's job under Philippine law, and it happens inside a licensed outlet.

• What compounding is. RA 10918 defines compounding as the processes a pharmacist performs in preparing a drug, including the calculations, mixing, assembling, packaging or labeling.
• Who may do it. Under RA 10918, compounding and dispensing may be done only by registered and licensed pharmacists.
• Where. No pharmaceutical product may be compounded, dispensed or sold to the public except through a retail drug outlet licensed by FDA Philippines (RA 10918, Sec. 30).
• How RA 9711 treats it. RA 9711 defines a "manufacturer" as an establishment that prepares, compounds, formulates, fills, packs or labels health products for sale. It adds that the term does not apply to the compounding and filling of prescriptions in drugstores and hospital pharmacies. This defines who counts as a manufacturer. It does not say compounded products are exempt from registration, and no FDA Philippines issuance on that point was found.

No FDA Philippines issuance on compounded GLP-1 medicines was found.

A product label that says "compounded" does not show that the product is registered or legal to sell. FDA Philippines Advisory No. 2026-1306 warned against an unregistered product labelled "ZMZ Peptides Tirzepatide Compounded in USA".

In April 2026, BusinessWorld reported that the Philippine distributor Zuellig Pharma warned that illegally compounded tirzepatide poses significant health risks, including improper dosing and possible impurities and contamination.

What does the law say about selling unregistered products?

RA 9711 lists them as prohibited acts and sets criminal and administrative penalties.

Prohibited acts (RA 9711, amending Sec. 11 of RA 3720):

• the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of any health product that is adulterated, unregistered or misbranded (Sec. 11(a));
• the same acts for any health product that requires registration but is not registered with FDA (Sec. 11(j));
• the manufacture, importation, sale, distribution or retail of any drug without the License to Operate from FDA (Sec. 11(k)).

Penalties on conviction (RA 9711, amending Sec. 12 of RA 3720):

For any person, the court may impose imprisonment, a fine, or both. For a manufacturer, importer or distributor, the law sets both. An additional fine applies for each day of continuing violation. Violative health products may be seized and held pending proceedings.

Administrative sanctions (RA 9711, amending Sec. 29-A of RA 3720). After notice and hearing, the FDA Director-General may:

• cancel or suspend an FDA authorization;
• impose a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 pesos, plus up to 1,000 pesos for each day of continuing violation;
• order the product destroyed or the establishment closed.

Criminal and administrative actions may be brought separately.

The Pharmacy Act has its own penalties. Under RA 10918, Sec. 45, acts such as dispensing or offering prescription drugs in a place not licensed by FDA as a pharmaceutical outlet, and selling counterfeit pharmaceutical products, are punishable on conviction by a fine of 250,000 to 500,000 pesos, imprisonment of 1 year and 1 day to 6 years, or both.

In a February 2026 radio interview reported by FDA Philippines, an FDA official said that selling unregistered products may lead to administrative and criminal sanctions under RA 9711.

Selling peptides online: what FDA Philippines says

The same rules apply online. A licensed pharmacy may offer online services; an unlicensed seller may not.

• The definition. RA 10918 defines online pharmacy services as pharmaceutical services of a duly licensed pharmaceutical outlet done over the internet.
• A pharmacist in charge. Outlets that make prescription medicines available to the public need the direct and immediate supervision of a licensed pharmacist, "whether in-store or online" (RA 10918, Sec. 31).
• The penalty. Operating an unlicensed pharmaceutical outlet "such as online pharmacy service or direct selling not authorized by the FDA" is one of the acts punishable under RA 10918, Sec. 45.
• FDA's stated policy. In Advisory No. 2021-2381, FDA Philippines said it only allows online ordering services when the seller has an existing licensed pharmacy with a physical address, as an additional activity approved by FDA. The customer must present a prescription or e-prescription when ordering. That advisory was issued during the COVID-19 pandemic; no later FDA issuance on online ordering was found.

The risks FDA Philippines names. The same advisory warns that buying medicines over the internet can pose serious health risks. Some medicines offered online are unregistered, buyers cannot be certain they are genuine, they may contain no active ingredient or too much or too little, and they may not have been stored correctly. FDA Philippines advises getting medicines only from FDA-licensed establishments and drug outlets.

Enforcement. In February 2026, FDA Philippines reported removing approximately 72% of identified illegal online listings from October to December 2025, and said it coordinates with Meta, Shopee, TikTok and Lazada. In February 2024, GMA News reported that FDA Philippines was investigating online sellers of Ozempic sold without a prescription.

Outside the Philippines, the World Health Organization reported falsified batches of Ozempic in June 2024 and advised getting medical products only from authorized or licensed suppliers.

What does a "research use only" label mean?

No FDA Philippines issuance that defines "research use only" or "not for human consumption" labels was found. In two 2026 advisories, FDA Philippines treated products with "research use" wording as unregistered drug products.

• Advisory No. 2026-1309 (September 17, 2026) warned against "Tirzepatide 30mg Purity >99.5% [HPLC] For research only". FDA Philippines called it an "unregistered drug product", warned the public against its purchase and use, and warned establishments not to distribute it.
• Advisory No. 2026-1306 (September 17, 2026) did the same for a tirzepatide product sold with a diluent labelled "Research Use Only".

Statements from other countries apply only there:

• United States (US FDA): it has warned companies that illegally sold unapproved semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide and similar drugs falsely labelled "for research purposes" or "not for human consumption".
• United States (OPSS): products containing BPC-157 may be labelled as research chemicals, with statements such as "Research use only" or "Not for human consumption". OPSS says BPC-157 is an unapproved drug in the US.

Importing medicines for personal use

A 2015 joint circular sets limits for personal imports, but it says nothing specific about unregistered products, and its current status was not confirmed.

DOH-FDA-BOC Joint Circular No. 1 (June 22, 2015), "Importation of FDA-DOH Regulated Products for Personal Use", says FDA-regulated products may be brought into the Philippines without prior FDA clearance if they are:

• for personal use;
• within set quantity limits;
• carried in passenger baggage, balikbayan boxes, or parcels sent by mail or delivery services.

Quantities beyond the limits that do not have FDA clearance will be seized and forfeited, whether declared or not. Dangerous drugs fall under the Dangerous Drugs Board and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Two cautions from other sources:

• RA 9711 lists the importation of an unregistered health product that requires registration as a prohibited act.
• In a February 2026 radio interview reported by FDA Philippines, an FDA official said imported goods are equally covered by FDA requirements.

The copy of the joint circular used here is hosted by the World Trade Organization's import licensing site. It was not found on fda.gov.ph, and whether it is still in force was not confirmed.

How to check a registration

FDA Philippines tells the public to use its Verification Portal, and to rely only on it when confirming the regulatory status of a product or establishment.

1. Open the portal at verification.fda.gov.ph. FDA Advisory No. 2026-0106 announced the new version, which works on phones and tablets.
2. Search by name. The portal has one search box ("Type or Press mic icon to begin search") that searches across all FDA databases at once. Voice search is built in.
3. Check the product and the seller. FDA Philippines says the portal can be used to verify both the registration status of health products and FDA-licensed establishments.
4. Check the unregistered list. FDA Philippines advisories also point to its list of verified unregistered health products at fda.gov.ph/list-of-unregistered-health-products.

What the portal lists, according to FDA Advisory No. 2023-2238:

• licensed establishments;
• registered health products, including drugs;
• notified products, approved clinical trials and other records.

What a search shows. On October 7, 2026, portal searches for "semaglutide" and "tirzepatide" listed each registered product with its registration number, dosage form, classification (such as "Prescription Drug (Rx)") and validity dates, but not its indications. Searches for "retatrutide" and "BPC-157" returned no registration record.

The portal was first launched on September 29, 2020. FDA says its information is for verification only and is not regulatory advice. Entries that look wrong can be reported through the portal's correction request form.

A label clue. Under RA 3720 (Sec. 20), a prescription drug is deemed misbranded if, before dispensing, its label does not bear the statement "Caution: Food, Drug and Cosmetics Law prohibits dispensing without prescription."

FDA Philippines advisories so far

FDA Philippines issued at least eight advisories against unregistered tirzepatide and retatrutide products between July 30 and September 22, 2026. Each says that FDA verified, after post-marketing surveillance, that the product has no Certificate of Product Registration. The advisories say this means the public has no assurance of the product's quality, safety and efficacy.

What the advisories also say:

• Advisories such as 2026-1020 and 2026-1392 warn that using these products "may expose them to potential health risks, including possible injury or harm."
• Advisories such as 2026-1283 and 2026-1309 warn establishments not to distribute the products until FDA grants an authorization.
• Advisories such as 2026-1283 and 2026-1392 ask local government units and law enforcement agencies to make sure the products are not sold in their areas.

No FDA Philippines advisory naming BPC-157, or an unregistered semaglutide product, was found in searches of fda.gov.ph on October 7, 2026.

Prescriptions and telemedicine

A registered prescription medicine still needs a valid prescription, and Philippine rules allow that prescription to be electronic.

Who prescribes. Under the Medical Act of 1959 (RA 2382), no one may practice medicine without passing the board examination and holding a valid certificate of registration.

Who dispenses. Under RA 10918:

• prescription medicines are medicines a pharmacist may dispense only on a valid prescription from a physician, dentist or veterinarian;
• prescription medicines may be dispensed only by a registered and licensed pharmacist and only with a valid prescription (Sec. 33);
• Sec. 30 allows one exception on who dispenses: in emergency cases where a pharmacist's services are not available, provided the supervising pharmacist gets a report within 24 hours;
• dispensing includes the pharmacist reading, validating and interpreting the prescription, and counseling the patient.

Telemedicine and e-prescriptions. DOH-DILG-PhilHealth Joint Administrative Order No. 2021-0001 (May 19, 2021) sets the national telemedicine guidelines:

• only licensed physicians may practice telemedicine;
• physicians use their professional judgment on whether telemedicine is appropriate for a patient, and may ask for a face-to-face consultation at any step;
• informed consent is required before any telemedicine service, whether it is a first-time or a follow-up consultation;
• electronic prescriptions must carry the physician's digital signature, name and license number;
• all pharmaceutical outlets must dispense as prescribed by a valid electronic prescription, which counts as a written prescription, and pharmacists may verify it with the physician.

Under the Data Privacy Act (RA 10173), information about a person's health is sensitive personal information.

If you already have an unregistered product

FDA Philippines asks the public to report it, and to report any side effects.

• Report the product or seller. FDA Philippines asks the public to report suspected unregistered or counterfeit health products and unlicensed establishments to ereport@fda.gov.ph or through its online reporting platform, e-Sumbong, at www.fda.gov.ph.
• Report continued sales. Its advisories ask the public to report continued sale or distribution of unregistered pharmaceutical products through eSumbong.
• Report side effects. Its advisories ask the public to report any suspected adverse drug reaction to FDA immediately, through the online reporting link given in each advisory.
• Talk to a licensed doctor about any symptoms, and before starting or stopping any medicine.

FDA Philippines says that with an unregistered product, the public has no assurance of its quality, safety and efficacy. The US FDA says counterfeit drugs could contain the wrong ingredients, too little, too much or no active ingredient, or other harmful ingredients.

Where to read more

• BPC-157: what the research shows
• Retatrutide: what the research shows
• Tirzepatide and semaglutide
• GLP-1 medicines explained