Reading a Certificate of Analysis
Reviewed by the Rite Aid Health Team · Last updated July 2, 2026
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the lab report that tells you what is actually in a vial. Here is how to read one and spot a fake.
Almost done
Confirm your email to secure 20% off your first compounded-peptide order. We'll notify you when consultations and ordering open.
Get 20% off your first compounded-peptide order
Join the early-access waitlist and we'll notify you the moment consultations and ordering open.
What a COA shows
- Identity — usually by mass spectrometry, confirming it is the right peptide
- Purity — by HPLC, shown as a percentage (look for around 98% or higher)
- The specific batch or lot the report covers
- The testing laboratory
How to read it
- Match the lot number on the report to the one on your vial
- Check the HPLC purity figure
- Confirm the measured mass matches the peptide
- Verify the lab is a real third party
Red flags
- No lot number, or one that does not match the vial
- Purity missing or stated vaguely
- A lab you cannot find or verify
- One generic COA reused across different products
Related
Almost done
Confirm your email to secure 20% off your first compounded-peptide order. We'll notify you when consultations and ordering open.
Get 20% off your first compounded-peptide order
Join the early-access waitlist and we'll notify you the moment consultations and ordering open.
For general education only — not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Peptides are not a substitute for care from a licensed provider. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before you start, stop, or change any peptide, medication, or supplement.
FAQ
Around 98% or higher by HPLC is a common benchmark for injectable peptides. Lower or unstated purity is a reason to walk away.
An independent third-party lab, not the seller. A COA from the seller's own unnamed "lab" carries little weight.
No. It confirms identity and purity for that batch, which matters, but it does not replace a prescription, a clinician, or proper handling.