As of September 2026, teriparatide is an approved medicine for osteoporosis in the US and the EU. The FDA approved it in 2002 as Forteo, and the EMA in 2003 as Forsteo. A bone-cancer signal seen in rodents has been neither confirmed nor fully ruled out in people. If a vial of teriparatide reached you outside a pharmacy, you cannot tell from the outside what it holds.
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What is teriparatide?
Teriparatide is a lab-made version of the first 34 amino acids of human parathyroid hormone, which regulates calcium and bone metabolism. Eli Lilly developed it. The FDA approved it in 2002 and the EMA in 2003, based on fracture-prevention trials, and biosimilars, close copies of it, have been approved since.
Does teriparatide work?
The FDA and the EMA reviewed the trials and approved it for osteoporosis. The record names three groups: postmenopausal women, men at high fracture risk, and people with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
What we found. 5+ completed randomized trials counted on the record. 3 study rows listed below, and one of them is a pooled analysis, so the number shows with a plus sign until every trial is listed.
| Study | Tested in | Status | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fracture Prevention Trial (Neer and colleagues) | People | Published. The basis for the 2002 approval | Fewer spine fractures and fewer non-spine fractures than placebo |
| Teriparatide or alendronate in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (NEJM) | People | Published | Bone density rose more with teriparatide than with alendronate in this group |
| Meta-analysis of teriparatide and lumbar spine bone density | People | Published | Across the pooled trials, a consistent benefit in bone density and in fracture reduction |
Is teriparatide safe?
The record describes a long human safety record. The open question comes from animals: a bone-cancer signal, osteosarcoma, seen only in rodents. Long-term tracking in people has neither confirmed it nor fully ruled it out, despite two decades on the market. The record says that signal is behind the label's boxed warning and its limit on treatment time. That is the picture for the approved products. A vial with no pharmacy behind it comes next.
Is teriparatide legal?
- United States
- Approved by the FDA in November 2002 as Forteo, for osteoporosis. Biosimilars are now available.
- European Union
- Approved by the EMA in 2003 as Forsteo.
- Sport
- Not named on WADA's list. That is not clearance.
Not medical advice. Approval and sport status as of . Medical disclaimer
What is in a vial sold as teriparatide?
The Fracture Prevention Trial was the basis for the 2002 approval of Forteo, Eli Lilly's product. This record holds no sign of teriparatide sold outside pharmacies. If a vial came to you another way, no trial on this page covers it. The checklist lists what to ask the seller.
What don't we know?
- Whether the bone-cancer signal seen in rodents applies to people. Two decades of use have not settled it.
- Whether the label's limit on treatment time could be relaxed. The record ties that to long-term registry data.
- What is in any vial that did not come from a pharmacy.
The other side
Teriparatide comes with a prescription and a doctor's care, and the record describes a long track record of clinical use. The biggest open question on this page concerns a signal seen only in rodents.
What would change this record?
- Large, long-running registry data, gathered after approval, that confirm no osteosarcoma signal in people. The record says this could support relaxing the limits on how long the medicine is used.
Three questions to ask next
- What does 'research use only' actually mean?
- How can you tell if a peptide vendor is legitimate?
- How do you read a certificate of analysis?
Ask better questions.
More questions about teriparatide
Is teriparatide the same as Forteo?
- Forteo is the brand name the FDA approved in 2002. The EMA approved it in 2003 as Forsteo, and biosimilar versions have been approved since.
Is teriparatide the same as PTH 1-34?
- Yes. PTH 1-34 is another name for it. Teriparatide is a lab-made version of the first 34 amino acids of human parathyroid hormone, or PTH.
What is teriparatide approved for?
- Osteoporosis, in the US and the EU. The record names postmenopausal women, men at high fracture risk, and people with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
Does teriparatide cause bone cancer in people?
- That has been neither confirmed nor fully ruled out. The signal was seen only in rodents, and two decades of use have not settled it for people.
Is teriparatide the same as abaloparatide?
- No. Teriparatide copies part of parathyroid hormone. Abaloparatide mimics part of another protein, PTHrP.
Record checked on . Each source shows the date it was checked.
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