Is HGH Legal? FDA, Compounding and WADA Status
HGH's FDA status, compounding rules and anti-doping status, with a dated timeline of every change we track.
- FDA status
- Approved (prescription only)
- PCAC vote
- Not reviewed
- not on the Jul 2026 PCAC agenda
- WADA
- Prohibited (S2.2.3)
- In and out of competition
Not legal adviceStatus reflects public FDA and WADA records on the date shown. Rules differ by country and state.
Current status
FDA approved (prescription only)HGH is FDA approved (prescription only). Products sold as research chemicals are not the approved drug and are not checked by the FDA.
| Country | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ApprovedApproved by FDA as multiple somatropin (recombinant human growth hormone) products, e.g. Genotropin (Pfizer, 1995), Humatrope (Lilly, 1986) and Norditropin (Novo Nordisk), for growth failure and adult growth hormone deficiency (label quotes). | api.fda.govchecked 2 Oct 2026 |
Timeline
No FDA, advisory-committee or WADA action specific to HGH found in our records (checked 2 Oct 2026).
Every peptide on the FDA trackerCompounding and research-use sellers
- Category 2 is the FDA's list of bulk substances it flagged as raising significant safety concerns. Compounding pharmacies are not expected to compound from them while they are on it.
- The Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) advises the FDA on which substances belong on the 503A bulks list that pharmacies may compound from. Its votes are advice; the FDA decides.
- "Research use only" products are sold outside these rules and are not checked by the FDA for identity, purity or dose.
Sport and drug testing
Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.3)Growth hormone and its analogues and fragments are prohibited at all times (S2.2.3).
Outside the US
Rules differ by country. What each regulator's own records show, with the date we checked:
| Country | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ApprovedListed on emc as Genotropin (somatropin), Pfizer Limited, among 21 somatropin results. | medicines.org.ukchecked 2 Oct 2026 |
| Canada | ApprovedHealth Canada DPD lists Genotropin, Saizen and Omnitrope (somatropin) as Marketed. | health-products.canada.cachecked 2 Oct 2026 |
| Australia | ApprovedRegistered in the ARTG (TGA search for "somatropin" on 2 Oct 2026). | tga.gov.auchecked 2 Oct 2026 |
| European Union | ApprovedCentrally authorised in the EU as Omnitrope and NutropinAq (somatropin). | ema.europa.euchecked 2 Oct 2026 |
Common questions
Is HGH FDA approved?
HGH is FDA approved (prescription only). Products sold as research chemicals are not the approved drug and are not checked by the FDA.
Is HGH legal to buy?
As an approved drug it requires a prescription in the US. Products sold online as research chemicals "not for human use" are not the approved drug.
Is HGH banned by WADA?
Yes. Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.3), in and out of competition.
More on HGH
DosageDoses used in published studies, with the source for each.Side effectsWhat labels and studies report, and what is unknown.ResultsStudy outcomes and when they were measured.PricePrice per mg and per week from dated listings. No vendor links.How to injectSites, syringe types and hygiene, step by step.Half-lifeWhat is measured, by route, and what is not.
Sources
- 1World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
- 2United States: Approved by FDA as multiple somatropin (recombinant human growth hormone) products, e.g. Genotropin (Pfizer, 1995), Humatrope (Lilly, 1986) and Norditropin (Novo Nordisk), for growth failure and adult growth hormone deficiency (label quotes).U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026api.fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
- 3United Kingdom: Listed on emc as Genotropin (somatropin), Pfizer Limited, among 21 somatropin results.Electronic Medicines Compendium (UK) · 2026medicines.org.ukAccessed 2 Oct 2026
- 4Canada: Health Canada DPD lists Genotropin, Saizen and Omnitrope (somatropin) as Marketed.Health Canada · 2026health-products.canada.caAccessed 2 Oct 2026
- 5Australia: Registered in the ARTG (TGA search for "somatropin" on 2 Oct 2026).Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia) · 2026tga.gov.auAccessed 2 Oct 2026
- 6European Union: Centrally authorised in the EU as Omnitrope and NutropinAq (somatropin).European Medicines Agency · 2026ema.europa.euAccessed 2 Oct 2026
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