Privacy Policy

The short version

You can read every compound page, guide, and calculator on Amino Reference without giving us anything. There are no accounts and no passwords. We only collect personal information if you choose to verify your email address, either to read user reports or to submit one. We use it to run those features, we do not sell it, and we never show your email address on the site.

What we collect when you verify your email

To unlock user reports, or to submit your own, you enter an email address and we send you a one-time link. When you request that link we store:

• Your email address.
• Whether you ticked the box to receive the newsletter, and when.
• The IP address and browser user-agent string the request came from, kept as a record of consent and to stop abuse.

The link itself is stored only as a one-way hash, works for 30 minutes, and is deleted once it has expired.

What we collect when you submit a report

A report holds what you enter in the form: the compound, your goal, dose, frequency, route, cycle length, effectiveness rating, time to effect, side effects, whether you would repeat it, the optional source name, and your written account. We also store the IP address and user-agent the report was sent from, and the dates it was submitted, verified, and reviewed.

Approved reports are published on the compound's page and can be read by every verified reader. They are shown without your email address or any other identifier, so do not put your name, contact details, or anything else that identifies you in the written part. Reports that are never confirmed by email are deleted after seven days.

If you mark a report as helpful, we record that your verified address voted for it, so each person can only vote once.

Cookies

Amino Reference sets one cookie for readers:

• dd_verified, set when you open a verification link. It is signed so it cannot be forged, holds an internal ID rather than your email address, and keeps reports unlocked on this browser for up to 180 days. Clearing your cookies removes it.

A second cookie, dd_admin, is used only by the site owner to sign in to the moderation area. There are no advertising or third-party tracking cookies.

What the site stores in your browser

Two settings are saved in your browser using localStorage, a small store the browser keeps on your own device: your reading mode (beginner or experienced) and your theme (light or dark). Neither value is sent anywhere, and clearing your browser data removes them.

Analytics

We use Vercel Web Analytics and Vercel Speed Insights to count page views and measure how quickly pages load. They do not use cookies, and they report aggregate figures such as page, referrer, country, browser, and device type rather than following individual visitors across sites.

Server logs and abuse protection

Our hosting provider keeps request logs that can include an IP address, user-agent string, and the page requested. Separately, to limit spam, the site counts how many verification and report requests come from each IP address and email address in short time windows. Those counters are deleted after two days.

Who processes the data

We rely on a small number of service providers, each of which handles data only to provide its service:

• Vercel hosts the site and provides the analytics described above.
• Neon hosts the database that holds verified emails and reports.
• Resend delivers verification emails and, if you opted in, the newsletter.
• xAI screens the text of submitted reports for spam, vendor promotion, and personal information before a person reviews them. It receives the report text and the compound and source names, not your email address.

We do not sell, rent, or share personal information with anyone else. If we were legally compelled to produce information by law, subpoena, or a regulatory authority, we would produce only what the law requires.

Email and the newsletter

Verification emails are sent only when you ask for them. The newsletter is sent only if you ticked the opt-in box, and every newsletter email has an unsubscribe link that takes effect immediately. Unsubscribing from the newsletter does not stop verification emails you request later.

How long we keep it

• Unused or expired verification links: deleted once they expire.
• Unconfirmed reports: deleted after seven days.
• Rate-limit counters: deleted after two days.
• Verified email addresses, published reports, and their consent records: kept until you ask us to delete them.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, data protection law may give you the right to access, correct, export, or delete the personal information we hold about you, or to object to how we use it. To make a request, write to the address on the contact page from the email address you verified. Deleting your address also deletes the reports and votes attached to it.

Children

This site is not intended for anyone under 18, and the terms and conditions set the minimum age for use at 21. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If you believe a minor has verified an email address here, contact us and we will delete it.

Research use only

All material on Amino Reference is intended strictly for laboratory research. It is not intended for human or animal consumption, medical use, diagnostic use, or therapeutic application of any kind. See the research-use disclaimer.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated from time to time. Any change is posted on this page with a new effective date, and continued use of the site indicates acceptance of the revised version.

Questions

Questions about privacy go to the address on the contact page.