{"slug":"hcg","seoKey":"hcg","inn":"chorionic gonadotrophin","displayName":"hCG","codes":["hCG","G03GA01","G03GA08"],"synonyms":["human chorionic gonadotropin","chorionic gonadotrophin","choriogonadotropin alfa","Choriongonadotropin","CG","urinary hCG (u-hCG)","recombinant hCG (r-hCG)"],"legalClass":"rx","identifiers":{"cas":"9002-61-3","unii":"20ED16GHEB","drugbankId":"DB09126","chemblId":"CHEMBL1201509","wikidataQid":"Q407172"},"approvals":[{"market":"US","status":"approved_rx","date":"1973-03-05","note":"Approved and prescription-only, held as biologics licences since the former new drug applications were deemed to be biologics licence applications on 2020-03-23. Urinary preparations cover prepubertal cryptorchidism, selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in men and ovulation induction; the recombinant form covers final follicular maturation in assisted reproduction. Compounding from animal-derived chorionic gonadotropins is barred, because those are listed as withdrawn for safety or efficacy reasons.","source":"https://api.fda.gov/drug/drugsfda.json?search=openfda.generic_name:%22chorionic+gonadotropin%22"},{"market":"EU","status":"approved_rx","date":"2001-02-02","note":"Approved and prescription-only along two parallel routes: the recombinant substance is authorised centrally, urinary preparations only through national procedures of the member states. Unlike the US labelling, the central authorisation covers adult women in reproductive medicine only and names neither cryptorchidism nor male hypogonadism.","source":"https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/ovitrelle"},{"market":"DE","status":"approved_rx","date":"2001-02-02","note":"Authorised and prescription-only: the recombinant substance through the centralised EU procedure, urinary preparations nationally. The prescription-only annex lists chorionic gonadotrophin, choriogonadotropin alfa and gonadotrophins generally, without any exemption. No authorised product carries an indication for weight reduction.","source":"https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/amvv/anlage_1.html"},{"market":"UK","status":"approved_rx","date":"2021-01-01","note":"Authorised as a prescription-only medicine. The 2021 date reflects the conversion of the central EU authorisation into a national one after leaving the European Union, not a fresh assessment. Only the recombinant substance was found in the medicines compendium on 2026-09-07; the market status of urinary preparations could not be established from the regulator's database.","source":"https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search?q=choriogonadotropin"},{"market":"AU","status":"approved_rx","note":"Prescription only: the Poisons Standard lists human chorionic gonadotrophin in Schedule 4, with an exemption solely for pregnancy test kits, and additionally lists gonadotrophic hormones as a class. The register of therapeutic goods was unreachable on 2026-09-07, so the finding rests on the full text of the Poisons Standard and not on individual register numbers.","source":"https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00633/asmade"},{"market":"CA","status":"approved_rx","date":"2004-12-20","note":"Authorised with drug identification numbers, classified as prescription and, as a biologic drug, additionally under Schedule D.","source":"https://health-products.canada.ca/api/drug/activeingredient/?ingredientname=choriogonadotropin+alfa"},{"market":"CH","status":"approved_rx","date":"2004-02-17","note":"Authorised and prescription-only in dispensing categories A and B. A urinary preparation authorised since 1968 carries the broader indication text covering amenorrhoea and anovulation, cryptorchidism, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, delayed puberty and follicular stimulation in assisted reproduction.","source":"https://www.swissmedic.ch/swissmedic/en/home/services/listen_neu.html"}],"devStage":"approved","strongestEvidence":"rct_phase3","wada":{"status":"prohibited","section":"S2.2.1","listYear":2026,"source":"https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list"},"trials":[{"nct":"NCT03581422","name":"Natural cycles with spontaneous versus induced ovulation in frozen embryo transfer","n":2866,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT01100333","name":"Individualised starting doses of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone","n":2552,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT03809221","name":"Prolonged down-regulation protocol for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation","phase":"Phase 4","n":1892,"status":"UNKNOWN"},{"nct":"NCT04804020","name":"Natural, modified natural and artificial cycle protocols for endometrial preparation","n":1428,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT02607293","name":"Polycystic ovarian syndrome and the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome","n":1064,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT00696878","name":"Repeated controlled ovarian stimulation cycles","phase":"Phase 3","n":682,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT01931384","name":"Luteal phase support in frozen embryo transfer","n":450,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT00627406","name":"Triggering final oocyte maturation in antagonist cycles","phase":"Phase 4","n":384,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT02197208","name":"Spontaneous compared with induced natural cycles in frozen embryo transfer","n":300,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT02264847","name":"Trigger comparison","phase":"Phase 3","n":200,"status":"UNKNOWN"},{"nct":"NCT01718119","name":"Comparative efficacy and safety of two recombinant preparations","phase":"Phase 3","n":180,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT00415766","name":"Recombinant versus urinary preparation for ovulation induction in high responders","phase":"Phase 4","n":150,"status":"UNKNOWN"},{"nct":"NCT01403532","name":"Sequential therapy for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism","phase":"Phase 4","n":100,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT02427529","name":"Muscle-sparing effect during a very low calorie diet","phase":"Phase 1/Phase 2","n":59,"status":"COMPLETED"},{"nct":"NCT03418896","name":"Extragonadal effects on calcium homeostasis","phase":"Phase 1","n":12,"status":"COMPLETED"}],"sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q407172","https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB09126","https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/compound_report_card/CHEMBL1201509/"],"lastVerified":"2026-09-07","version":"1.0","published":true,"locale":"en","title":"hCG: what the studies show, status and safety","summary":"hCG is the hormone a pregnancy produces. As a medicine it comes in two forms: urinary hCG, purified from the urine of pregnant people, and recombinant hCG, made in cell cultures. Both are prescription-only in all seven markets on this page, and are used almost entirely in fertility medicine. The hCG diet is contradicted by the manufacturers' own package inserts.","updated":"2026-09-07","url":"https://mypep.app/peptides/hcg"}