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Safety Centre
What to ask your prescriber
A printable question list for a peptide or GLP-1 prescription conversation. Use the ‘Before starting’ block at the assessment appointment; the ‘On treatment’ block at review appointments; the ‘Considering stopping’ block when you're weighing whether to come off.
Block 1 — Before starting
About the prescriber
- What is your full name and registration number? (GMC, NMC, or GPhC.)
- What is your scope of practice and how often do you prescribe this medicine?
- Who do I contact if you’re not available — a colleague, the clinic, NHS 111?
About the medicine
- Which specific medicine are you prescribing? (Brand and active ingredient.)
- Is this within the UK licensed indication, or off-label?
- If off-label, what’s the clinical reason and how is that documented?
- What dose schedule will I follow?
- Which pharmacy will dispense it?
About me
- Given my medical history, is there anything that makes this less appropriate?
- Should I have baseline blood tests before starting? Which ones?
- Are there interactions with my other medicines or supplements?
- If I’m of reproductive age — what’s the contraception plan and the washout for pregnancy?
About risks
- What are the common side effects?
- What are the rare but serious side effects?
- What symptoms mean I should stop the medicine and contact you?
- What symptoms mean I should go to A&E?
About expectations
- What outcome can I realistically expect, and over what timescale?
- How will we know if it’s working?
- What’s the plan if it isn’t working at 12–16 weeks?
- How long can I stay on this?
About logistics
- How often will we meet for follow-up?
- How do I escalate side effects between appointments?
- What does this cost monthly, including consultations and the medicine?
Block 2 — On treatment (review appointments)
- How is my response compared to what we expected?
- What side effects am I having and what’s the plan for them?
- Should we hold the current dose, escalate, or step down?
- Are there blood tests that should be repeated?
- Is my contraception plan still appropriate?
- Has anything in my medical picture changed that affects this prescription?
- If I’m on the licensed maximum and want more effect, what are the options?
Block 3 — Considering stopping
- What’s the medical risk of stopping vs continuing?
- If I stop, what’s the typical timeline for weight regain or symptom return?
- Is there a tapering schedule or can I stop directly?
- If I want to restart later, what does that look like?
- Are there alternative medicines or non-pharmacological approaches you recommend?
- How do I record my stop date for the medical record?
Things you have a right to ask for in writing
- The prescriber’s full name and registration number.
- The dispensing pharmacy’s name and registration.
- The clinical reasoning behind off-label prescribing (if relevant).
- The plan for follow-up.
- The escalation route for adverse events.
- The refund or cancellation policy (private practice).
Printable version
Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P) to print. The structure is designed to fit a two-sided print so you can take it to consultations.
Sources & further reading
- GMC — Good medical practice — gmc-uk.org
- GMC — The Medical Register — gmc-uk.org
- NHS — making complaints and getting feedback — nhs.uk
- MHRA — gov.uk