# Common mistakes when choosing a peptide clinic Five mistakes to avoid: skipping the licence check, not asking about the pharmacy, comparing only the monthly price, trusting marketing claims, and relying on an old rule. Updated 2026-10-20. Also on the [web page](https://peptideclinic.fyi/guides/common-mistakes-peptide-clinic). This guide names five mistakes to avoid when you choose a peptide clinic. It is not medical advice. Ask a licensed clinician about treatment, and in an emergency call 911. ## Mistake one: skipping the licence check A clinic's website says it has licensed staff. You assume that is true and book an appointment. That is the mistake. A listing on this site that says its facts come from the business's own website is flagged for owner review. The business says it is licensed, but this site has not checked that claim on a register. Before you book, look the prescriber up on the state board named in the listing. The free online lookup takes a few minutes. If the listing says the licence was checked on a state board, the FDA 503B register or the NPI registry, check the date those facts were read. Licence data can go out of date. An NPI is an identifier, not a licence. ## Mistake two: not asking about the pharmacy The clinic prescribes. The pharmacy dispenses. They can be separate businesses. Ask the clinic which pharmacy compounds or dispenses your prescription. Ask whether it is a state-licensed 503A pharmacy or an FDA-registered 503B outsourcing facility. Then check that facility on the FDA public list or the state board. If the clinic cannot name the pharmacy, that is itself an answer. ## Mistake three: comparing only the monthly price One provider advertises a low monthly price. But the first consultation, lab work, medication and shipping may cost extra. Ask every provider for the total price of the first month, including the consultation, medication, shipping and lab work. Compare those totals. Then compare the monthly cost after the first month. ## Mistake four: trusting marketing claims A website may use phrases such as "FDA-approved" or "clinically proven". Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved drugs. A medical director named on a website may not be the prescriber you see. Ask who holds the licence that covers your treatment. Be careful with a seller that labels products "for research use only" or "not for human use", or that markets doses and guaranteed outcomes. That is not how a licensed clinic acts. This site never lists research-chemical sellers. ## Mistake five: relying on an old rule FDA rules change. Regulatory status, checked 2026-10-20: FDA rules on the bulk substances a compounding pharmacy may use are in flux, and sources disagree on the final status. Do not rely on a clinic's marketing page or one article for the current status. Check the FDA bulk-substances page before you act. ## What to ask instead Ask these questions on the phone or in writing: - What licence do the prescribers hold, and under what number? - Which pharmacy dispenses, and what type of facility is it? - What is the total first-month cost and the monthly cost after that? - What is your refund policy if the prescriber decides treatment is not appropriate? - What is your cancellation policy? The free questions-to-ask-a-peptide-clinic tool on this site builds a printable checklist from three short answers. Use it before your first call. If a provider cannot answer these questions clearly, pick another one from the directory. ## Sources - [FDA registered outsourcing facilities](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/registered-outsourcing-facilities) - [FDA bulk drug substances used in compounding](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/bulk-drug-substances-used-compounding) - [CMS NPI Registry](https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/) ## Questions ### A clinic said its product is 'FDA-approved'. Is that true? Not for a compounded product. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved drugs. A 503B registration is a facility registration, not an approval of any product. Ask the clinic in writing what it means. ### Do I need to ask these questions every time I see a new provider? Yes. Each provider has its own licence, pharmacy and pricing. Ask the same questions each time so you can compare the answers. > **Not medical advice.** Regulatory status, checked 2026-10-20: FDA rules on the bulk substances a compounding pharmacy may use are in flux. A February 2026 HHS announcement moved about 14 peptides back toward the FDA Category 1 list, and sources disagree on the final status — check the FDA bulk-substances page (https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/bulk-drug-substances-used-compounding) before you act. PeptideClinic is a directory, not a clinic or a pharmacy: a listing is a record, never an endorsement. It gives no dosing, no medical advice and no outcome claims, and it never lists research-chemical sellers. Confirm a provider's licence on the named state board, the FDA 503B register or the NPI registry before you book. In an emergency call 911.