Is Human chorionic gonadotropin legal in the US?
Yes, FDA approved for triggering ovulation and some male hormone problems.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is FDA-approved as an injectable, under brand names including Pregnyl and Novarel, for inducing ovulation in women, for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in men and for prepubertal cryptorchidism. It is not approved for weight loss, and the FDA has stated that over-the-counter "homeopathic" hCG weight-loss products are illegal and that hCG has not been shown to cause weight loss. 32
Yes, as an injection. Its approved uses are ovulation induction, male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and prepubertal cryptorchidism. It is not approved for weight loss. The FDA has said hCG drops and pellets sold for that purpose are unapproved and illegal. 32
Read the full Human chorionic gonadotropin page
More on Human chorionic gonadotropin
Citations
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016: hCG for final oocyte maturation triggering in assisted reproduction doi.org
- FDA: questions and answers on hCG products for weight loss fda.gov
- Organon: Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin for injection) prescribing information organon.com
- Sexual Medicine Reviews 2021: efficacy of non-testosterone-based treatment in hypogonadal men, systematic review pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Habous 2018, BJU International: clomiphene citrate and hCG in hypogonadism, randomised study pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Human chorionic gonadotropin article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.