A plain-language guide for Irvine
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Peptide
A peptide is a small amino-acid chain; those acids are the building pieces of proteins. It names a kind of substance, not a treatment approval.
Read this in context →FDA approval
Food and Drug Administration is the name behind the initials FDA. Its approval concerns a particular medicine and named uses.
Read this in context →Compounded medicine
A pharmacist or doctor makes this medicine to order. As of September 2026, the medicine itself has no FDA approval.
Read this in context →Telehealth
A care discussion between people in separate places, using video, phone or an exchange online.
Read this in context →Prescriber
The licensed health professional who decides whether to issue a prescription for a medicine.
Read this in context →Nurse practitioner
A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse whose work includes checking health problems and may include writing prescriptions. California’s search lists nursing records and a prescribing record called “Nurse Practitioner Furnishing”, or NPF.
Read this in context →Physician assistant
A PA is a health worker who provides medical care. As of September 2026, a California PA can provide care and prescribe under a signed agreement with a supervising doctor. Ask whether the PA or doctor would see you at a visit.
Read this in context →Nonresident pharmacy
A pharmacy based outside California. As of September 2026, shipping prescription medicine into the state requires a California nonresident pharmacy licence.
Read this in context →Sterile
Free of living germs. Sterile compounding means making medicine to that standard.
Read this in context →Formulary
An insurance plan uses this medicine list to decide which medicines it will cover.
Read this in context →Prior authorization
An insurance plan’s advance check before agreeing to pay. A prescription and a payment decision are separate steps.
Read this in context →Cash price
The price paid outside insurance. As of September 2026, payments through a medicine maker’s cash-price programme do not count toward an insurance deductible. A deductible is what a plan asks you to pay before covering certain costs.
Read this in context →NDC code
A National Drug Code (NDC) is a number for listing a product in a drug directory. As of September 2026, this number is no proof of FDA approval for the product.
Read this in context →Adverse event
An unwanted experience during medicine use. A report by itself cannot prove the medicine caused that experience.
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