Four Vials Bought at Brooklyn Smoke Shop Fail Identity Testing
Independent lab could not confirm retatrutide or NAD+ in any sample; purity and quantity were indeterminate
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev., Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Peptide Critic today published independent laboratory findings from four sealed vials of research compounds purchased over the counter at a Brooklyn smoke shop. None of the four samples matched the applicable identity reference standard for the substance named on its label.
The purchase included two INDR Labs-branded vials labeled Retatrutide 10 mg and two labeled NAD+ 500 mg. Peptide Critic purchased the products from Smoker's World in Brooklyn and submitted all four vials to Analytical Formulations, Inc. for independent testing.
According to the laboratory reports:
- Neither retatrutide sample matched the characteristic reference standard. The laboratory reported an abnormally large extraneous peak that suggested "extreme contamination" and prevented the samples from being positively identified as pure retatrutide.
- Neither NAD+ sample matched the NAD+ reference standard. The laboratory reported an extraneous peak, the absence of a pronounced characteristic peak and results suggesting contamination.
Because the labeled substances could not be positively identified, the laboratory reported purity and quantity as indeterminate for all four samples.
"These results do not prove that the vials were empty, and we are not claiming that they were," said Jeff Colhoun, founder of Peptide Critic. "They show something more fundamental: The laboratory could not confirm that any of the four vials contained the compound named on its label. A professionally printed label, a QR code and a retail storefront cannot answer that basic identity question."
The results apply specifically to the four vials tested and do not establish the contents or quality of other INDR Labs-branded products or inventory sold by other retailers.
Investigation Followed Reporting on Brooklyn Retail Sales
Peptide Critic began the investigation after CBS News reported that INDR Labs-branded retatrutide was being sold over the counter at Mr. Green, a Brooklyn convenience store. The store was sold out when Peptide Critic attempted to purchase the products, and an employee directed the purchaser to Smoker's World, another nearby retailer carrying the same brand.
The four vials were purchased for approximately $410 in total and sent for independent analysis.
The investigation also examined the testing documentation presented to buyers. A QR code printed on the purchased vials led to the INDR Labs website rather than a batch-specific certificate of analysis. At the time of Peptide Critic's review, the website stated that its products were independently HPLC tested, at least 98% pure and accompanied by a certificate of analysis for every lot. Its "Lab Results" section, however, required a password, with visitors instructed to contact the company for access.
CBS News previously reported that a certificate displayed by INDR Labs for retatrutide appeared to identify the tested sample as tirzepatide. Vanguard Laboratory, whose name appeared on the documents, told CBS that it had not issued the reports and did not have INDR Labs as a client. CBS reported that INDR Labs did not respond to its requests for comment.
"Independent testing only creates accountability when it is tied to the exact batch in the buyer's hand and can be reviewed before the product is purchased," Colhoun said. "A QR code leading to a homepage is not batch verification, and a certificate hidden behind a password is not public transparency."
Findings Arrive Amid Increased Retatrutide Scrutiny
Retatrutide remains under clinical development and has not been approved for human use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or another regulatory authority.
The FDA states that retatrutide cannot lawfully be used in compounding under federal law, is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been found safe and effective for any condition.
On Aug. 12, Eli Lilly filed six lawsuits against U.S. companies it accused of illegally marketing products represented as retatrutide. The defendants named by Lilly include medical spas, compounding businesses and online peptide sellers.
Peptide Critic's investigation focuses on a related supply-chain question: What verification exists before a research product reaches a retailer or buyer?
"In a market with limited oversight, independent batch testing is the checkpoint," Colhoun said. "Identity, purity and quantity should be established before a product reaches a shelf—not after a buyer discovers that the label cannot be verified."
The complete investigation, photographs and laboratory-result images are available at:
About Peptide Critic
PeptideCritic.com is an independent research-peptide vendor review directory, price-comparison platform and industry watchdog operated by Jetsetter Guide LLC. The platform provides live price tracking, price-per-milligram comparisons, product-verification information, community-driven vendor reviews and independent investigative reporting.
Peptide Critic maintains a policy against paid vendor rankings and publishes testing and documentation findings intended to improve transparency and accountability across the research-use-only market. Peptide Critic does not manufacture or sell peptides and does not provide medical advice.
For more information, visit https://peptidecritic.com.
SOURCE Peptide Critic
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