Scope of Practice Quick Reference — WellSourced Certified Practitioner

For WellSourced Certified Practitioners — non-prescribing wellness educators providing peptide research education.

Credential Type	Generally CAN Do	Generally CANNOT Do	Key Notes
WellSourced Certified Peptide Educator (non-licensed)	Provide research education; explain mechanisms; share published research; help clients form questions for their physician	Diagnose, prescribe, treat, or advise on specific protocols for individual clients	Educational-only scope. Clients must be referred to physicians for clinical decisions.
Health Coach / Wellness Coach (IIN, ACE, NASM, etc.)	Lifestyle education; research synthesis; refer to peer-reviewed literature; provide general wellness education	Diagnose; prescribe; provide therapeutic protocols; claim to treat health conditions	Adding WellSourced certification extends your evidence-based education capability within existing coach scope.
Personal Trainer / Fitness Coach (NASM, ACE, CSCS, etc.)	Recovery-related research education; general wellness education; performance research context	Nutritional prescription (in most jurisdictions); medical advice; protocol recommendations	Peptide education appropriate when framed as research context for recovery and performance, not clinical advice.
Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN)	Nutrition counseling; supplement education; metabolic research education; peptide nutrition research	Prescribe medications; order labs in most states; clinical diagnosis	RDs have broader scope than coaches for nutritional/metabolic education. Peptide content that relates to metabolic pathways is generally within scope.
Nurse Practitioner (NP/APRN)	Prescribe (in most states with full practice authority); diagnose; treat; recommend protocols with clinical oversight	Practice outside state licensure; prescribe off-scope without documentation	NPs can typically prescribe compounded peptides in states with full practice authority. Defer to your state's Nurse Practice Act.
MD / DO / Physician	Prescribe; diagnose; treat; write compounding pharmacy orders; supervised peptide protocols	Practice outside state licensure; prescribe without physician-patient relationship documentation	Physicians have the broadest scope. WellSourced certification provides evidence synthesis useful for patient education.
Physical Therapist (PT)	Musculoskeletal rehabilitation education; recovery research education; refer to published literature	Prescribe; diagnose medical conditions; recommend specific compounds without physician referral	Peptide education on tissue repair research (BPC-157, TB-500) aligns with PT's recovery scope when framed as patient education.

You CAN (as a non-prescribing educator)

Explain peptide mechanisms from published scientific literature
Share peer-reviewed research articles and explain findings
Teach clients how to evaluate research quality
Help clients develop questions to ask their physician
Explain what a Certificate of Analysis is and what to look for
Describe what "research chemical" status means legally
Provide general safety context based on published data
Host educational workshops on peptide science
Discuss ranges that appear in published research literature
Explain contraindications documented in research
Share educational resources and study summaries

You CANNOT (without prescriptive authority)

Diagnose a health condition or attribute symptoms to a peptide
Prescribe a specific peptide for a specific individual
Tell a client what dose they should use
Recommend a specific peptide to treat a named condition
Override or contradict a client's physician's advice
Claim a peptide will "treat," "cure," or "fix" anything
Create a clinical treatment protocol for a client
Order or interpret lab results in a clinical context
Advise clients to stop or change their medications
Provide written prescriptions or compounding pharmacy orders
Make claims that require FDA approval to make

These situations require a licensed healthcare provider. Do not attempt to continue education in these contexts without physician involvement.

Active or suspected cancer: Do not continue education on growth-promoting peptides (GH secretagogues, BPC-157, angiogenesis-related compounds). Immediately refer to oncologist or primary care for medical clearance.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding: No safety data exists for research peptides in pregnancy. Refer to OB/GYN. Decline to provide education on research peptides until post-partum and cleared by physician.

Adverse reaction or unexpected symptoms: If a client reports acute adverse effects potentially related to peptide use, refer immediately to urgent care or their physician. Document the referral.

Client is self-managing a complex medical condition: Clients managing cancer, autoimmune disease, organ transplant, or serious chronic illness using peptides should have explicit physician oversight. Decline to engage without confirmation of medical provider involvement.

Client asks you to evaluate lab results clinically: If a client brings labs and asks you to interpret them as clinical indicators or adjust their protocol accordingly, decline. Refer to their physician or a functional medicine provider.

Hormone-sensitive conditions with GH secretagogue interest: Clients with documented hormone-sensitive conditions (hormone-sensitive cancers, acromegaly history) should have physician clearance before any GH-axis peptide education.

Review before starting client education work. Check items you've addressed for your practice.

Use this language in your intake forms, service agreements, and session confirmations. Customize and have reviewed by an attorney.

Service Description and Scope Disclosure

[Practitioner Name] ("Practitioner") provides wellness education services as a WellSourced Certified Peptide Educator. Services consist solely of research-based educational information about peptide science and are not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any kind.

The following is important for you to understand:

1. Not a medical relationship. Engaging Practitioner's services does not create a patient-provider, physician-patient, or any other licensed healthcare relationship.

2. Educational purposes only. All information shared during sessions is for general educational purposes and is based on published scientific literature. It is not tailored medical advice and does not take into account your individual health circumstances.

3. Research chemical context. Peptides discussed in educational sessions may be classified as research chemicals and are not FDA-approved for human use in most applications. Clinical use requires oversight by a licensed physician.

4. Consult your physician. Before making any decisions about your health, supplements, or compounds based on information shared in sessions, consult a licensed healthcare provider who can evaluate your individual health history.

5. No guarantees. Practitioner makes no representations about health outcomes, efficacy, or safety for your specific situation.

By engaging services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the above, and that you are receiving educational information, not medical care.

Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) Find a Practitioner: ifm.org/find-a-practitioner — directory of IFM-certified functional medicine physicians who are typically more familiar with research peptides

American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M): a4m.com — directory of physicians with training in longevity medicine and regenerative therapies

Telehealth functional medicine: Platforms like Rupa Health, Paloma Health, or direct-to-consumer functional medicine services increasingly offer peptide-familiar providers for clients without local access

Compounding pharmacy referral: Licensed compounding pharmacies (PCAB-accredited) can often connect clients with prescribers who work with compounded peptides in their state

Disclaimer: This document is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Scope of practice varies by jurisdiction, credential type, and specific services offered. WellSourced makes no representations about the legal permissibility of any described activities in your specific jurisdiction. Consult a licensed attorney for legal guidance specific to your practice.