RUO Charter — A Standard of Practice

Article I — The Meaning of Research Use Only

"Research Use Only" (RUO) is a classification, not a slogan. It defines both the intended setting for a material and the boundary beyond which that material may not be taken. The designation is not advisory. Under this charter, an RUO designation means the item is furnished solely as a research reagent for in-vitro laboratory investigation by trained personnel.

• Scope. The material is intended only for laboratory research conducted in a controlled environment by, or under the direct supervision of, a qualified researcher. RUO is the ceiling, not the floor.
• Boundary. It is not a drug, supplement, food, cosmetic, or medical device, and it is not intended for human or veterinary use, diagnosis, or consumption of any kind.
• Standing. The RUO designation travels with the material. Resale, redistribution, or repackaging does not alter, dilute, or extinguish it, and it is not changed by the intentions of any downstream party.

Article II — What These Materials Are, and Are Not

What they are

Clarity about the nature of a material is the first duty a supplier owes a researcher. The following statements govern every item in the catalog without exception.

• Research reagents. Characterized compounds supplied for in-vitro laboratory study and method development, to be handled as research reagents of unknown hazard.
• Documented materials. Each lot is independently third-party assayed to at least 99% purity and accompanied by a certificate of analysis (COA).
• Traceable goods. Each unit carries a lot reference that ties it to its assay record and chain of custody.

Article III — Researcher Eligibility

This standard can only be upheld by those qualified to receive the material. Purchase is therefore limited to eligible parties acting in a research capacity. Misrepresentation of eligibility voids the transaction and any warranty attached to it.

• Age. You must be 21 or older to purchase.
• Jurisdiction. US shipping only. Orders ship within the United States; we do not ship internationally.
• Capacity. You represent that you are a qualified researcher, or are acquiring the material on behalf of a research institution or laboratory, and that you are authorized to receive research reagents in your jurisdiction.
• Good faith. You affirm that the material will be used solely for lawful in-vitro research and never for any prohibited use described in this charter.

Article IV — The Researcher's Accountability

Once a material leaves our custody, responsibility for its lawful and competent handling passes to the researcher. This is the researcher's half of the covenant.

• Competence. You are responsible for ensuring that all handling is performed by trained personnel using appropriate laboratory practices and protective equipment.
• Containment. You are responsible for keeping research materials secured, labeled, and segregated from food, beverages, and any items intended for personal use.
• Compliance. You are responsible for observing all laws, regulations, and institutional policies that govern the receipt, storage, use, and disposal of research reagents in your location.
• Consequences. You accept full responsibility for any use of the material beyond the terms of this charter, and you agree not to represent it as suitable for any such use.

Article V — Documentation Discipline

The supplier's half of the covenant is documentation. A research material is only as trustworthy as the record that accompanies it. The Certificate of Analysis is the spine of this standard, and Moon Peptides maintains the following standards of practice.

• Independent assay. Every lot is tested by an independent third-party laboratory; we do not rely on self-reported figures.
• Purity standard. Lots are released against a purity specification of not less than 99%, evidenced by the certificate of analysis.
• One lot, one COA. Each production lot is assigned a unique lot identifier, and the COA is bound to that identifier. The lot identifier is the key that links a unit in hand to its analytical record.
• Grade by record. A material's grade is established by, and only by, the COA for its lot. Where a unit's lot identifier cannot be matched to a COA, its grade is not established by this standard.
• No warranty beyond the COA. The only representation Moon Peptides makes as to a material is the analytical record on its lot COA. A COA speaks only for the lot it names, makes no statement about suitability for any use, and confers none. All materials are otherwise supplied as-is, with no warranty of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Article VI — Chain of Custody

The chain of custody is the spine of this entire document: an unbroken chain is the only basis on which lot integrity can be relied upon. Both parties share the duty of keeping that thread unbroken at the threshold where custody changes hands.

• Before the threshold. From release through dispatch, materials are handled and stored under conditions intended to preserve the integrity recorded on the COA.
• At the threshold. Custody passes to the researcher upon receipt. We ask that shipments be inspected promptly and stored appropriately on arrival.
• After the threshold. Maintaining secure storage, accurate labeling, and orderly records of the material is thereafter the researcher's responsibility.
• No return to inventory. Because post-delivery handling, temperature exposure, seal integrity, and custody cannot be verified by Moon Peptides once a shipment has departed, materials cannot be accepted back into inventory.

Article VII — Prohibited Uses

The following uses fall outside this charter without exception. They are prohibited regardless of intent, setting, or any representation made by a third party.

• No human use. Materials may not be administered to, ingested or injected by, consumed by, or otherwise used on or in any human being.
• No veterinary use. Materials may not be administered to or used on any animal.
• No medical or diagnostic use. Materials may not be used for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or mitigation of any condition in humans or animals.
• No consumer use. Materials may not be incorporated into foods, supplements, beverages, cosmetics, or any consumer product, nor resold or labeled for such purposes.
• No removal from the research setting. Materials may not be taken out of the controlled in-vitro laboratory setting for any personal or non-research use.

Article VIII — Legal Terms and Jurisdiction

These terms complete the conditions of sale and govern every order placed with Moon Peptides.

• Eligibility. You must be 21 or older to purchase.
• Geography. US shipping only.
• Finality. All sales are final.
• Acknowledgment. By completing a purchase you acknowledge the RUO designation, accept the responsibilities set out in this charter, and confirm your eligibility to receive research reagents.

Article IX — Closing Disclaimer

Sold strictly for in-vitro laboratory and research use. Not a drug, supplement, or food.

Moon Peptides materials are Research Use Only and Not for Human Consumption. They are not intended for human or veterinary use, and no statement on this page or accompanying any product constitutes a therapeutic, medical, clinical, diagnostic, or cosmetic claim. A COA's results characterize a lot for research purposes only and must not be read as any indication that a material is safe or appropriate for use in or on humans or animals. The integrity of this standard depends on both parties: our discipline in documenting what we supply, and your accountability in how you use it.

Contact and Control

This is a controlled document. The effective date above is its version of record, and it supersedes all prior versions on publication. Questions about this charter, a certificate of analysis, or a specific lot may be directed to admin@moonpeptides.com.