Get the maker's name
According to FDA, someone ordering a medicine prepared to order online may be unable to identify its actual maker.
The maker, also called a compounder, may be a pharmacy, a doctor or a facility that makes batches of medicine.
State boards of pharmacy hold pharmacy licence records, separate from doctors' licence records.
FDA's pharmacy lookup page links to state licence searches.
Compare the maker's full name with the public record. Ask the service to explain any mismatch.
Check the full ingredient name
FDA found different versions of the ingredient sold under the name BPC-157, in its review checked in September 2026. For example, it treats BPC-157 and BPC-157 acetate as different ingredients.
FDA views the naming issue as a safety concern: the substance a person receives could differ from what they ordered.
Write down the complete ingredient name. Ask the prescriber and maker to confirm they mean the same substance.
A test sheet has a limited job
A certificate of analysis is a test sheet for one batch—a group of an ingredient or medicine made together. Most BPC-157 sheets FDA reviewed showed only purity—a measure of how much of the tested sample is the intended ingredient. This finding was checked in September 2026.
The sheets lacked details of tests for unwanted substances, called impurities. They did not state what amounts were allowed or show that tests kept those amounts within the limits.
For an injection, FDA treats tests for germs, harmful substances left by bacteria and stray particles as key safety checks. The harmful substances are called bacterial toxins.
Ask which tests concern the raw ingredient and which concern the medicine you would receive. Request an explanation of what each test leaves unanswered.