Is Teriparatide legal?
Teriparatide is an FDA approved drug. For drug-tested athletes it is not on the WADA prohibited list. Yes, endocrinology and rheumatology providers prescribe it for osteoporosis. ~24 months is the standard course; the FDA removed the hard 2-year lifetime cap in Nov 2020, so longer use is label-permitted if high fracture risk persists.. Legal status depends on your country and changes over time. This reflects US status at the time of writing and is not legal or medical advice.
Regulatory status
- FDA: Approved as Forteo (2002) for severe osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, men with primary or hypogonadal osteoporosis, and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
- WADA: Not listed
- Prescription: Yes, endocrinology and rheumatology providers prescribe it for osteoporosis. ~24 months is the standard course; the FDA removed the hard 2-year lifetime cap in Nov 2020, so longer use is label-permitted if high fracture risk persists.
References
- Effect of Teriparatide on the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis — Neer RM et al., NEJM, 2001
- Effects of teriparatide and risedronate on new fractures in post-menopausal women with severe osteoporosis (VERO): a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised controlled trial — Kendler DL, Marin F, Geusens P, et al. — The Lancet, 2018
- FORTEO (teriparatide) injection — FDA Prescribing Information — FDA / DailyMed (Eli Lilly and Company)
Pepdex is an editorial reference, not medical advice. Peptides vary in legal and approval status by country, many are research compounds without full human safety data. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting anything.
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Last updated 2026-06-06.