If you live in Tennessee and you are researching compounded GLP-1 medications, this page is meant to save you some tabs. It explains how telehealth access to compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide works for Tennessee residents, what the state’s rules actually say, what these medications cost from providers that publish their prices, and what questions Tennesseans ask most often. Where a provider does not publish pricing, we say so rather than guess. Where a rule is unsettled, we say that too.
One disclosure up front: this site is operated by Gentle Health, a telehealth provider of compounded GLP-1 medications. Gentle Health appears in the comparison table below on the same terms as every other provider listed.
How compounded GLP-1 access works in Tennessee
Tennessee allows a physician to evaluate and treat patients entirely by telehealth, which is how most compounded GLP-1 prescriptions in the state now begin. There is no requirement to visit an office in person first; state law recognizes a provider-patient relationship formed through mutual consent and communication over telehealth (more on the statute below).
At Gentle Health, the process looks like this. You complete a medical intake covering your health history, current medications, and goals. That intake is reviewed by James Simmons, MD, who is licensed to practice in Tennessee through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (license 247723, state board record), an agreement among member states, including Tennessee, that streamlines licensure for physicians practicing across state lines (IMLCC). Dr. Simmons evaluates whether treatment is medically appropriate for you. Not everyone is a candidate, and completing an intake does not guarantee a prescription.
If Dr. Simmons prescribes treatment, the prescription is sent to a licensed compounding pharmacy, and the medication ships to your Tennessee address with the supplies you need. Follow-up happens the same way the initial visit did: you check in, report how you are doing, and Dr. Simmons adjusts the plan as needed. There is no separate membership fee and no insurance involved; Gentle Health is cash-pay with dose-tiered monthly pricing, listed below.
Tennessee rules worth knowing
Tennessee is, by the standards of state telehealth law, straightforward. A few points are worth understanding before you sign up with any provider.
Telehealth is fully recognized, with no in-person requirement. Tennessee Code § 63-1-155 defines telehealth broadly (real-time audio, video, or store-and-forward technology) and provides that a provider-patient relationship “is created by mutual consent and mutual communication” between patient and provider. No prior in-person visit is required. The same statute holds telehealth providers to the same standard of professional practice as in-person care, and it bars licensing boards from imposing stricter standards on telehealth than on in-person practice (Tenn. Code § 63-1-155).
The prescriber must hold a Tennessee license. Under the same statute, a physician practicing telemedicine with Tennessee patients must be licensed in Tennessee. Physicians licensed through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact hold full, unrestricted Tennessee licenses, which is how many telehealth physicians, including Dr. Simmons, are authorized to treat Tennessee residents. Before prescribing, a physician is expected to take an appropriate history, reach a diagnosis consistent with good medical care, discuss the treatment plan and its risks, and arrange follow-up, the same obligations that apply in an office visit. The Center for Connected Health Policy maintains a current summary of Tennessee’s telehealth requirements (CCHP: Tennessee).
Compounded GLP-1s sit under federal compounding law plus state pharmacy licensure. The FDA declared the tirzepatide shortage resolved in December 2024 and the semaglutide shortage resolved in February 2025. Since then, compounded versions may not simply copy the commercial products; they are prescribed patient by patient, where the prescriber identifies a clinical reason a compounded formulation fits the patient, and they must come from a state-licensed compounding pharmacy or an FDA-registered outsourcing facility. The FDA maintains a page describing its concerns about unapproved GLP-1 products and how lawful compounding differs from gray-market sales (FDA on unapproved GLP-1 drugs). Pharmacies that dispense and mail prescriptions into Tennessee from another state must first obtain Tennessee licensure, on the same fee terms as an in-state pharmacy, under the Board of Pharmacy (Tenn. Code § 63-10-210).
The Tennessee Board of Pharmacy has not published guidance specific to compounded GLP-1s. As of this writing (checked July 30, 2026), the board has issued no formal statement singling out compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide; its general compounding and licensure rules are what apply.
The Tennessee Attorney General has warned consumers about gray-market GLP-1 products. The AG’s Consumer Protection Division published a warning about counterfeit and do-it-yourself GLP-1 products: “research use only” peptides sold online, sellers offering medication without a prescription, and vials shipped from overseas. The warning is blunt in the right ways. It urges Tennesseans to use only licensed providers and pharmacies, and it includes a checklist of red flags, among them any seller offering semaglutide or tirzepatide without a prescription, encouraging buyers to reconstitute raw powder, or making unsubstantiated safety claims (Tennessee Attorney General consumer warning, PDF). The practical takeaway: a legitimate compounded GLP-1 in Tennessee always involves a licensed prescriber, a licensed pharmacy, and a prescription written for you specifically.
Compounded semaglutide in Tennessee
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a class of medication that works on appetite-regulating pathways and slows gastric emptying. Compounded semaglutide is a version of that molecule prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy for a specific patient under a physician’s prescription. It is not an FDA-approved product, and the FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, quality, or effectiveness before they are dispensed. That is the honest trade-off at the center of this category: a substantially lower cash price, in exchange for a product that sits outside the FDA approval process. Anyone considering it should understand both halves of that sentence.
For Tennessee patients, Gentle Health offers compounded semaglutide in two forms:
- Oral semaglutide: starting at $112 per month. A daily formulation taken by mouth, for patients who prefer to avoid injections.
- Injectable semaglutide: starting at $135 per month. A once-weekly subcutaneous injection, the more common form.
Both prices are cash-pay and dose-tiered, and include the medical evaluation by Dr. Simmons, the prescription if he determines treatment is appropriate, the medication, supplies, and shipping to any Tennessee address. There is no membership fee layered on top; the monthly price depends on the prescribed dose tier. Gentle Health does not bill insurance.
Whether oral or injectable semaglutide makes more sense for you is a clinical question, not a pricing one, and it is part of what the medical evaluation is for.
Compounded tirzepatide in Tennessee
Tirzepatide works on two receptor pathways, GLP-1 and GIP, rather than one. Like compounded semaglutide, compounded tirzepatide is prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy for an individual patient under a physician’s prescription, and like all compounded medications it is not FDA-approved.
Gentle Health offers compounded injectable tirzepatide to Tennessee patients starting at $169 per month, cash-pay and dose-tiered, on the same terms as semaglutide: evaluation by James Simmons, MD, the medication if prescribed, supplies, and shipping included, with no membership fee and published prices for each prescribed dose tier.
Which molecule is appropriate, if either, depends on your health history, other medications, tolerability, and goals. That determination is made during the medical evaluation, not by a marketing page, ours included.
Provider options in Tennessee: comparison table
Methodology: prices below were taken only from each provider’s public website, on the verification date shown in each row (July 27-30, 2026); where a provider does not publish pricing, we write “See site.” Rows are alphabetical. No provider paid to be listed, and Gentle Health, which operates this site, is listed on identical terms.
| Provider | Care model | Compounded semaglutide (cash/mo) | Compounded tirzepatide (cash/mo) | Serves Tennessee | Insurance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eden | Online telehealth; membership plus medication | From $99 (promotional rate, plus membership) | See site | Yes (site FAQ: all 50 states) | Not required; cash-pay, FSA/HSA eligible | tryeden.com (verified 2026-07-27) |
| Gentle Health | Online telehealth; care by James Simmons, MD; dose-tiered monthly price, no membership | From $112 (oral) / from From $135 (injectable) | From $169 | Yes | Not accepted; cash-pay only | Gentle Health pricing (verified 2026-07-30) |
| Henry Meds | Online telehealth subscription; visit, medication, and supplies included | $247 after intro month (weekly injectable) | $349 after intro month (daily oral tablet) | See site | Not required; cash-pay | henrymeds.com (verified 2026-07-30) |
| Ivim Health | Online telehealth; $75/mo membership plus medication | See site | See site | Yes (help center: 49 states plus DC, all except Mississippi) | Not required; cash-pay | ivimhealth.com (verified 2026-07-27) |
| Mochi Health | Online telehealth; $79/mo membership ($39 first month) plus medication billed separately | See site | See site | Yes (site locations list) | Not required; cash-pay | joinmochi.com (verified 2026-07-30) |
| Tennessee Health & Wellness (Cookeville, TN) | In-person clinic program; exams, labs, and prescription included | See site | Not listed | Yes (in person, Cookeville) | See site | tnhealthwellness.com (verified 2026-07-27) |
A note on reading this table fairly. The columns are not perfectly comparable: some providers bundle everything into one monthly price, others charge a membership plus medication, and an in-person clinic includes services a telehealth visit does not. National platforms also change prices and state coverage often, so treat every figure as a starting point and confirm on the provider’s own site before deciding anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is compounded semaglutide legal in Tennessee?
Yes, when it is prescribed by a licensed provider for you specifically and dispensed by a licensed compounding pharmacy or FDA-registered outsourcing facility. What is not legal, and what the Tennessee Attorney General has warned about directly, is buying semaglutide or tirzepatide without a prescription, from “research use only” peptide sites, or from overseas sellers. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, which is different from being illegal; the FDA does not review them for safety or effectiveness before dispensing.
Do I need to see a doctor in person in Tennessee before getting a prescription?
No. Tennessee law recognizes a provider-patient relationship established through telehealth, with no in-person visit required, provided the physician holds a Tennessee license and meets the same standard of care as an in-person visit. The evaluation still has to be a real one: history, diagnosis, a discussed treatment plan, and follow-up.
Who provides the medical care at Gentle Health for Tennessee patients?
James Simmons, MD, who is licensed in Tennessee through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. He reviews every Tennessee intake, decides whether treatment is medically appropriate, prescribes when it is, and manages follow-up care and dose adjustments.
Does TennCare or private insurance cover compounded GLP-1s in Tennessee?
Generally, no. Insurance plans, including TennCare, typically do not cover compounded medications, which is part of why this market is cash-pay. Gentle Health does not accept insurance; pricing starts at $112 per month for oral semaglutide, $135 for injectable semaglutide, and $169 for tirzepatide, with the monthly price determined by the prescribed dose tier. If you have coverage for an FDA-approved GLP-1 product, it is worth checking that benefit with your plan before considering a compounded option.
How does the medication actually get to me in Tennessee?
After a prescription is written, a licensed compounding pharmacy prepares your medication and ships it to your Tennessee address, typically with the supplies needed to take it. A pharmacy that dispenses and mails prescriptions into Tennessee from another state must first be licensed under the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy on the same fee terms as an in-state pharmacy (Tenn. Code § 63-10-210).
What should Tennesseans watch out for when shopping for a compounded GLP-1?
Use the Attorney General’s red-flag list: no prescription required, “research grade” or “not for human consumption” labeling, sellers telling you to reconstitute raw powder yourself, products from overseas, sellers on social media, or unusual formats like drops and patches. Any of those means walk away. A legitimate provider will require a medical evaluation, may decline to prescribe, and will name the pharmacy filling your prescription.
Can I use compounded GLP-1 treatment if I live in a rural part of Tennessee?
Yes. Telehealth access does not depend on proximity to Nashville, Memphis, or Knoxville; if you have an internet connection and a Tennessee address, the evaluation and shipping work the same in Pikeville as in Green Hills. That is arguably where telehealth matters most, since much of Tennessee has limited local access to obesity-medicine care. For readers who prefer to start from their own town, current dose tiers and pricing sit on our Tennessee page, alongside local pages for Hendersonville, Franklin and Murfreesboro. None of those is a different program: the physician, the evaluation and the published price are the same in every one.
Current Gentle Health dose tiers and pricing
Gentle Health pricing depends on the dose tier prescribed by your clinician. Current monthly prices are:
Oral compounded semaglutide
| Tier | Daily dose | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Starting | 2-4 mg/day | $112/mo |
| Medium | >4-8 mg/day | $189/mo |
| High dose | >8-12 mg/day | $258/mo |
Injectable compounded semaglutide
| Tier | Weekly dose | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Starting | 0.24-0.48 mg/wk | $135/mo |
| Medium | >0.48-1.2 mg/wk | $159/mo |
| High dose | >1.2-2.4 mg/wk | $199/mo |
Injectable compounded tirzepatide
| Tier | Weekly dose | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Starting | 2.5-5 mg/wk | $169/mo |
| Medium | >5-10 mg/wk | $219/mo |
| High dose | >10-15 mg/wk | $269/mo |
Medication, the initial review by a licensed clinician, video visits and messaging, and overnight refrigerated shipping are included. There is no separate membership fee, and HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Your clinician determines the appropriate medication and dose; the monthly price changes if the prescribed dose moves into a different tier.
Gentle Health serves patients across a growing multistate footprint through clinicians licensed in each patient’s jurisdiction, including Tennessee.
Reviewed by James Simmons, MD
Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Treatment subject to medical evaluation.