From the other side of the consultation, briefly.
COA red flags for certificates of analysis — here's what to look for when reviewing a Certificate of Analysis:
- No HPLC data: If there's no chromatography graph, it's not a real COA
- Exact 100% purity: Suspicious — real testing always shows slight variation
- No batch number: Can't trace back to specific production
- No endotoxin testing: For injectables, this is essential
- Template looks like it was made in Word: Professional labs have standardized formats
I have seen fake COAs that are literally photoshopped. Always verify independently if possible.
Dr.PeteFamMed said:My vendor review relevant to certificates of analysis: ordered 5 times from my current compounder.
Community-verified vendors for certificates of analysis: I maintain a spreadsheet of Janoshik-verified test results submitted by community members. Across 46 submitted tests:
- 82% tested at ≥98% purity
- 12% tested at 95-98% purity
- 6% tested at <95% purity (concerning)
The vendors with consistently high purity results are listed in the Vendor Directory. We update monthly based on new community submissions.
Dr.PeteFamMed said:My vendor review relevant to certificates of analysis: ordered 5 times from my current compounder.
Third-party testing services for certificates of analysis besides Janoshik:
- Janoshik: Gold standard for peptide community, ~$145, 10-14 day turnaround
- Valitech: US-based, ISO 17025 accredited, ~$225
- Eurofins: Full pharmaceutical testing suite, more expensive but comprehensive
- ChemTox: Basic identity and purity testing, ~$105
Janoshik is the community standard but any ISO-accredited analytical lab can verify peptide identity and purity. The key is independence — don't rely solely on the vendor's own testing.
Sigma-Aldrich — Research-Grade Standards
Certified reference materials, analytical reagents, and research-grade standards for peptide verification. Trusted by laboratories worldwide.
Shop Reference StandardsFollowing on from Dr.PeteFamMed — and this may be the naive question:
Did your prescriber agree with that reading, and if not what was their objection?