Approved vs. investigational vs. research-only — why the label matters

The single most useful filter in peptide research is regulatory status. These are not interchangeable:

• Approved — cleared for a specific use after large trials (e.g. semaglutide, tirzepatide).
• Investigational — in trials, not approved (e.g. cagrilintide, retatrutide).
• Research-only / not approved — little-to-no human approval; often the most-hyped tier online.

"Approved" also doesn't mean "approved for everything" — indications are narrow. Every compound page in the Library states its status plainly, because the rules matter as much as the research.