How to get peptides legally: prescription vs research use only

Quick answer Yes: a compounded peptide medicine needs a prescription from a licensed provider, and a licensed pharmacy prepares it for you. Through Everlon a provider can prescribe five such treatments today, sermorelin, NAD+ by injection or nasal spray, glutathione and GHK-Cu cream, all compounded and not FDA-approved. BPC-157, TB-500, MOTS-c, KPV, Semax and Epitalon are a different case: licensed pharmacies can't compound them yet, and products sold as "research use only" aren't made for people. If one of the five interests you, a short health review gets your answers to a licensed provider, who decides.

Two routes, and only one is a prescription

On the prescription route, a licensed provider reviews your health and writes a prescription in your name. A state-licensed pharmacy then prepares the medicine for you under section 503A of federal drug law, from an ingredient the law allows, and puts its label on it.

On the research-chemical route, a website sells a product labeled as not for human use. Nobody reviews your health, nobody writes a prescription, and no pharmacy makes it for you. Only the first is a medicine made for a patient.

What a provider can prescribe today

Through Everlon, an independent licensed provider in your state can prescribe five compounded treatments, if they fit you:

• [Sermorelin](/treatments/sermorelin), a peptide that works with your body's own growth-hormone release, taken as a small nightly injection under the skin. $225/mo, if prescribed.
• [NAD+ injection](/treatments/nad-injection). NAD+ is a coenzyme your cells use in energy metabolism; this form is a self-given injection under the skin. $199/mo, if prescribed.
• [NAD+ nasal spray](/treatments/nad-nasal), the same coenzyme as a metered nasal spray, with no needles. $129 first month, then $149/mo from month 2, if prescribed.
• [Glutathione](/treatments/glutathione), one of the body's own antioxidants, given by injection. $169/mo, if prescribed.
• [GHK-Cu cream](/treatments/ghk-cream), a topical copper-peptide cream applied to the skin. $149/mo, if prescribed.

All five are compounded prescriptions prepared by a licensed U.S. pharmacy. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Human research on each is limited, and your provider will explain what is and isn't known. Each price is the same at every dose, and you're only charged if it's prescribed.

What's waitlist only, and why

Six peptides are a different case: BPC-157, TB-500, MOTs-c, KPV, Semax and Epitalon. Licensed pharmacies can't compound them today, so there is no compounded version for a provider to prescribe.

Under the federal ingredient rule, a 503A pharmacy may compound from a bulk ingredient only if it meets a USP or NF monograph, or is part of an FDA-approved drug, or, failing both, is on FDA's 503A bulks list. None of the six passes any of those tests, and none is in FDA's Category 1, where FDA says it does not intend to take action against compounding while it evaluates a substance.

FDA took them off its Category 2 list in April 2026 after the nominations were withdrawn, which FDA says is not a determination about the substance, and in July 2026 its own staff proposed against adding them to the bulks list. News reports say an advisory committee then voted to recommend adding six of the seven it reviewed, but that vote is non-binding and FDA has to complete rulemaking first. As of October 6, 2026, FDA had proposed no rule. How FDA's categories work and where things stand after the vote are explained separately.

For news about them, use the sign-up at the end of this page. It covers availability only, and it is not a promise that any of them will become available.

Why "research use only" products aren't for people

A "research use only" or "not for human consumption" label is the seller saying the product hasn't been made, tested or labeled as a medicine.

In August 2026 FDA told five online peptide sellers in writing that despite the label, their own websites showed the products were meant for people, and it treated them as unapproved new drugs.

No licensed pharmacy makes these products for a patient, so no pharmacy quality standards apply to what is in the container. What the label means is explained here.

A checklist for the prescription route

• A licensed provider in your state reviews your health history, and can say no.
• A licensed U.S. pharmacy prepares it, and the pharmacy's label is on what arrives.
• The ingredient has a legal basis under section 503A. For the six peptides above, licensed pharmacies have none today.
• You see the full price before you start, and you're charged only if treatment is prescribed.
• The company's certification can be checked. Everlon has been LegitScript-certified since September 2026. LegitScript is a private company that reviews healthcare businesses against published standards it says cover licensure, legal compliance, prescription validity, transparency and advertising. It certifies how Everlon operates, not any product, and it doesn't vouch for any medication. What LegitScript certification means.

Is this right for me?

These treatments are usually considered by adults who want one of the five under a licensed provider's care, accept that human research is limited, and want to see the price first.

It's usually not for you if you are pregnant or breastfeeding (for the cream, a provider will assess). Product by product, it's also usually not for:

• sermorelin: active cancer or a history of certain cancers, or an untreated thyroid condition;
• NAD+, either form: active cancer under treatment; for the spray, a chronic nasal or sinus condition, which a provider will assess;
• NAD+ injection and glutathione: significant untreated medical conditions, which a provider will assess;
• glutathione: a sulfa or sulfur-compound sensitivity, which a provider will assess;
• GHK-Cu cream: a copper sensitivity or allergy, or broken or infected skin where you'd apply it.

Either way, a licensed provider decides, and the answer may be no.

How it works

1. Answer a short health review online. Your state is confirmed first, before you share any health information.
2. A licensed provider reviews it. An independent provider licensed in your state reviews your health history, medications and goals, and decides, and can decline. You'll be notified when they respond.
3. If prescribed, it ships to your door. A licensed U.S. pharmacy prepares it, with standard shipping included and provider check-ins along the way. Your card is held at checkout; if the provider declines, the hold is released and you're not charged. You're billed monthly and can cancel anytime by emailing care@everlon.health.

FAQ

Do you need a prescription for peptides? For a compounded peptide medicine, yes. A licensed pharmacy compounds for an identified patient on a prescription. Anything sold without one isn't a medicine prepared for you.

Can I get a peptide prescription online? Yes, for the five treatments above. You complete a short health review, and an independent licensed provider in your state decides. You're only charged if it's prescribed.

Can a provider prescribe BPC-157 if I ask? Not today. Licensed pharmacies can't compound it, so there is no compounded version a provider could prescribe and a pharmacy could fill.

Are compounded peptides FDA-approved? No. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.

Does LegitScript certification mean the treatments are approved? No. LegitScript certifies how Everlon operates as a business. It doesn't certify or approve any treatment.

What this means for you

As of October 2026, licensed pharmacies can't legally compound these six peptides for patients: none is on FDA's 503A bulks list, and only FDA rulemaking changes that. If FDA lists them one day, the legal route would be a prescription from a licensed provider in your state, filled by a licensed pharmacy; compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Until then, products sold online as "research use only" aren't made for people.

The July 2026 FDA peptide vote, explained covers all seven peptides the committee reviewed and what has to happen next.

Safety information

Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Each treatment's full safety information is on its own page; read it before you start. This list isn't complete.

• [Sermorelin](/treatments/sermorelin): acts on the growth-hormone axis. Commonly injection-site pain, redness or nodules, flushing, headache, dizziness or nausea.
• [NAD+ injection](/treatments/nad-injection): commonly injection-site pain, nausea, flushing, headache or fatigue. Long-term human safety data for NAD+ supplementation are limited, and claimed benefits for energy, longevity or cognition are not established by large clinical trials.
• [NAD+ nasal spray](/treatments/nad-nasal): nasal irritation, headache, nausea and flushing; absorption through the nose varies from person to person. Do not exceed the prescribed spray schedule.
• [Glutathione](/treatments/glutathione): injection-site irritation, nausea, headache or abdominal discomfort. Tell your provider about any sulfa or sulfur-compound sensitivity, and about any asthma.
• [GHK-Cu cream](/treatments/ghk-cream): skin irritation, redness, itching or dryness. Apply only to intact skin, and stop and contact your provider if a rash develops.

For all five, human evidence is limited, long-term safety data may not exist, and no result is promised. Allergic reactions are possible and are rarely severe; stop and seek care for trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or a spreading rash. For injectables, use the supplies, storage and technique your pharmacy and provider instruct, and never reuse or share needles.

Research-use-only products are a different, unregulated market that carries additional dangers: no prescriber, no pharmacy standards and no label written for a patient. FDA has written that injectable products bypass some of the body's key defenses against toxins and microorganisms.

For side effects, contact your provider and email care@everlon.health. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.

Sources

• 21 U.S.C. 353a, Pharmacy compounding. law.cornell.edu, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act. Content current as of May 14, 2026. fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (interim categories list). Updated May 14, 2026. fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. Content current as of April 22, 2026. fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Interim Policy on Compounding Using Bulk Drug Substances Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (guidance for industry). January 2025. fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, July 23–24, 2026: Introduction. fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• ABC News. FDA advisers narrowly vote to add 6 peptides to drug compounding list (news report of the vote; FDA had not posted vote results). abcnews.com, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Warning Letters (index; the five CDER letters to online peptide sellers dated August 24, 2026, posted September 1, 2026). fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• FDA. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers (content current as of 09/16/2025). fda.gov, accessed 2026-10-06
• LegitScript. Healthcare Certification. legitscript.com, accessed 2026-10-06
• LegitScript. Our 9 Certification Standards (Healthcare Certification standards document). legitscript.com, accessed 2026-10-06