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The 2026 Peptide Safety Checklist
Before you start any peptide therapy, from anyone, including the provider we refer to: seven questions to ask, the red flags that mean walk away, and how to tell the two kinds of compounding pharmacy apart.
01 · Seven questions to ask
- 1
Is the prescriber licensed in the state where I live?
A prescriber must hold a licence in the patient's state, including for telehealth. You can look them up on your state medical or nursing board's site, and their NPI number in the federal NPPES registry.
- 2
Will I have a real consultation before anything is prescribed?
A licensed clinician should review your history, medications and goals with you. A checkout form that issues a prescription with no evaluation is not a consultation.
- 3
What exactly is this drug's FDA status?
Ask whether it is FDA-approved, compounded under a lawful pathway, or neither. Our peptide database states this for every compound we profile.
- 4
Which pharmacy will fill it, and is it a 503A pharmacy or a 503B outsourcing facility?
You should be told the pharmacy's name. 503A pharmacies are licensed by state boards; 503B outsourcing facilities are also registered with the FDA. Both should be licensed to ship to your state.
- 5
Can the pharmacy show testing for the batch I receive?
Reputable compounders test for potency and sterility. Ask what testing is done and whether you can see the results.
- 6
What monitoring will I need, and who will do it?
Many therapies call for baseline and follow-up labs and check-ins. Know who you contact about side effects before you start.
- 7
What will it cost, and who is paid when I buy it?
Get the full monthly price in writing before anything ships, and ask whether anyone who referred you is paid. We publish our own answer on our Receipts page.
02 · Red flags
- Labelled "for research use only" or "not for human consumption", then sold to you anyway
- No prescription, or no consultation, required
- The seller will not name the pharmacy that makes it
- Promises of cures, guaranteed results, or no side effects
- Countdown timers, "only 3 left", or other pressure to buy now
- Payment only by crypto, gift card or wire transfer
- Powder vials shipped to you with mixing instructions in place of a pharmacy label
03 · 503A versus 503B
| 503A pharmacy | 503B outsourcing facility | |
|---|---|---|
| Main regulator | State board of pharmacy | FDA, plus the state |
| Made for | An individual patient's prescription | Batches, with or without a patient-specific prescription |
| Manufacturing standard | USP compounding standards | Current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) |
| FDA registration and inspection | Not registered with FDA as an outsourcing facility | Registered, and inspected on a risk-based schedule |
| What to ask for | State licence, and licence to ship to your state | FDA outsourcing facility registration |
Neither kind makes an FDA-approved drug: compounded medicines are not reviewed by FDA for safety or effectiveness before they are sold. Look up any compound's status in our peptide database.
Keep a copy
Email this checklist to yourself.
This checklist is general consumer information, not medical advice. Ask a licensed clinician about your own situation.