An approved medicine?
The Food and Drug Administration regulates US medicines and is known as FDA. As of September 2026, FDA has approved no medicine containing GHK-Cu.
An injection?
As of September 2026, FDA lists a withdrawn request to allow GHK-Cu as an ingredient in medicines made to order for injection. That FDA page is marked current as of April 22, 2026. The groups that made the request took it back; FDA did not approve the injection.
GHK-Cu used another way?
As of September 2026, GHK-Cu that is not injected is in category 1 of FDA’s list for pharmacies that make medicines to order. Category 1 means the ingredient is still under review. FDA’s temporary policy is to hold off on action over a pharmacy’s use of this ingredient while the review continues, if the pharmacy meets the policy’s conditions. That promise to hold off does not mean FDA has approved the product or said the pharmacy is legally allowed to supply it.
What “compounded” means
Compounding is making a medicine for an order instead of providing an approved drug that has already been made.
As of September 2026, FDA provides no review of compounded medicines’ quality, effectiveness or safety before they are marketed.
Ask the health professional who would write the prescription: “Under which rule can this pharmacy prepare the exact product for me?” Ask the pharmacist to explain in writing how the pharmacy meets that rule’s conditions.
A note on the sources
Read the injectable entry and the concern printed beside it.
FDA table containing the injectable entryThe entry for GHK-Cu that is not injected says it is under review. Ask the pharmacy how the policy applies to your offer.
FDA list for GHK-Cu that is not injectedUse this to unpack the phrase “made to order.”
FDA explanation of compoundingBeing on an FDA list does not tell you what studies in people found about benefits or harms.
Read about possible harms