What the records show
Whether a supplement brand is good is a judgment, so this record lists what you can check instead. On seven checks drawn from FDA, NIH and ISAPP guidance, the Physician's Choice records show 60 billion CFU at expiration for 60 Billion Probiotic (per its strain dossier), 10 strain codes, every lot tested including for four heavy metals, and a contact for adverse events. They also show gaps, listed below.
Key facts
- 60 Billion Probiotic: 60 billion CFU at expiration, across 10 strains identified by strain code. [Strain dossier]
- Not all 10 strains in 60 Billion Probiotic are clinically studied, Physician's Choice notes. [Physician's Choice, Oct 8, 2026]
- "We test every lot of our products, including for four heavy metals." [Physician's Choice]
- "FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold to the public." [FDA]
- Every supplement label must give a domestic address or phone number for reporting serious adverse events. [FDA]
- Returns: a 60-day return policy with no questions asked, with a receipt or proof of purchase. [Return policy]
What can you check about a supplement brand?
Seven things, each one printed on a label or published by the maker, so you can confirm them yourself. The list echoes the 2002 FAO/WHO label guidance that ISAPP summarizes: strain designation, viable count at the end of shelf life, and corporate contact details.
Checked Oct 10, 2026 against the page in the last column
| Check | Why it matters | What the record shows | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| CFU basis | Responsible makers list "the potency of the product to expect through the end of its shelf life."ISAPP | 60 Billion Probiotic: 60 billion CFU at expiration, per the strain dossier. The printed panel gives the count without a date. | PC-REC-001Strain dossier |
| Strain codes | "Probiotic microorganisms are named by their genus, species, and strain."NIH ODS | 10 codes for 60 Billion Probiotic: Lc-11, La-14, Lpc-37, Ls-33, Lp-115, Bl-04, Bb-06, Bl-05, Bb-18 and Lb-87. The label itself prints the 10 species only. | PC-REC-001Strain dossier |
| Lot testing | Makers "have initial responsibility for ensuring that their dietary supplements meet the safety standards for dietary supplements."FDA | "We test every lot of our products, including for four heavy metals. Testing is performed by our contract manufacturers' in-house ISO/IEC 17025-accredited labs and, for select testing, independent third-party labs, primarily Eurofins." The 60 Billion Probiotic label adds: "Third-party tested for safety, purity, and potency." | Testing pagePC-REC-004 |
| Manufacturing facility | FDA rules require makers to follow current good manufacturing practices "that help ensure the identity, purity, quality, strength, and composition of dietary supplements."FDA | "All of our manufacturers are required to operate in FDA-registered facilities that comply with FDA's current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) requirements." 60 Billion Probiotic is made in the USA from imported and domestic ingredients. | Testing page |
| Other ingredients | FDA requires a list of the other ingredients that are not declared in the Supplement Facts panel.FDA | 60 Billion Probiotic, as printed: vegetable capsule (hypromellose, gellan gum), rice flour, rice hull concentrate, gum arabic, and sunflower oil. Formulated without dairy, soy, gluten, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, eggs, fish, shellfish, color additives, artificial sweeteners and preservatives. | PC-REC-004 |
| Adverse event contact | Shoppers should "keep an eye out for the contact information where you can report problems or request more information on the product."ISAPP | "If you experience an adverse event, stop using the product and contact your healthcare provider immediately. Please also notify us at support@physicianschoice.com or 1-877-395-2707." Phone hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM MST. | Contact pageCompany record |
| Return policy | A money back guarantee belongs in an ad only if the seller "refunds the full purchase price of the advertised product at the purchaser's request," with any limits disclosed.FTC guides, 16 CFR 239.3 | 60-day return, "no questions asked," with a receipt or proof of purchase. After 60 days, only unopened items in original packaging. The 60 Billion Probiotic product page lists a 60-day money-back guarantee. | Return policy |
Is Physician's Choice third-party tested?
For select tests, yes, and every lot is tested; Physician's Choice puts it this way:
We test every lot of our products, including for four heavy metals. Testing is performed by our contract manufacturers' in-house ISO/IEC 17025-accredited labs and, for select testing, independent third-party labs, primarily Eurofins.
Read that as two layers. Most testing happens in labs run by the contract manufacturers; outside labs handle select tests. "ISO/IEC 17025-accredited" means an accreditation body has assessed the lab. In the United States, NIST runs one such program, NVLAP, which is open to "manufacturers' in-house laboratories" as well as commercial ones. NIST is careful about what the label means:
NVLAP accreditation does not imply any guarantee (certification) of laboratory performance or test/calibration data; it is solely a finding of laboratory competence.
So an accredited lab has shown it can run its tests; the accreditation is not a seal on any product. Label-by-label testing statements and the difference between "third-party tested" and a USP or NSF mark are entered in PC-REC-004.
Does "Physician's Choice" mean doctors recommend it?
No. The company answers that question directly, and explains who develops its formulas:
- The name
- Physician's Choice is our brand name, not a claim that doctors recommend or endorse our products. Talk with your healthcare provider before adding a new supplement or making changes to your health routine.
- Formulas
- Our products are developed with our Scientific Advisory Board, which meets quarterly to discuss, review and approve our formulations.
- "Developed with doctors"
- When we say "developed with doctors," we mean our products are developed in collaboration with the doctors on the Physician's Choice Scientific Advisory Board.
Entered as Physician's Choice wrote them on Oct 8, 2026.
What do the records not show?
NIH's consumer fact sheet makes the general point: "Because some of these supplements may not have been studied, any potential health effects they have may not be known." These items are open, or deliberately left out:
| Not shown | What the record holds instead | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Studies for every strain | Physician's Choice notes that not all 10 strains in 60 Billion Probiotic are clinically studied, and its strain line says "identified by strain code," not "clinically studied." | Stated by the maker |
| CFU for the Digestive Enzymes probiotics | The label prints Bacillus subtilis OPTIBIOME BS50, Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus clausii in a 159 mg prebiotic and probiotic blend, next to an 85 mg blend of 16 enzymes, 1 capsule per serving. A CFU count for the three strains is being confirmed. | Being confirmed |
| 100 Billion Probiotic label details | Named only. Its label details are being confirmed with Physician's Choice. | Being confirmed |
| Lot-level test results | The testing statement above. This site publishes no result for a specific lot. | Not published |
| A USP Verified or NSF/ANSI 173 mark | The seal entered for the 60 Billion Probiotic label is Non-GMO Project Verified, which concerns GMO avoidance. | Not on this record |
| Ratings, review counts, sales figures | Nothing. They are not label facts, they change daily, and none of the seven checks needs them. | Left out |
Is there an official ranking of probiotic brands?
No. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements is plain about it: "There are no official recommendations that cover the use of probiotics by healthy people." FDA's role starts after a product is on sale, since "FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold to the public."
What NIH points to instead is the product, not the company name:
A product’s health benefits, if any, are determined by both the specific microorganisms (or strains) it contains and the number of CFUs.
That makes the strain code and the CFU basis the two checks to run first on any brand, including this one. How the Physician's Choice products that contain probiotics differ on these and other label lines is in PC-REC-003. ISAPP adds a practical test once you have chosen: "Try a product for about a month. If you don’t see the benefit you’re looking for, perhaps it’s not the right one for you."
Where Physician's Choice fits
Physician's Choice publishes this site and makes the products in it, so this record grades nothing and ranks nothing. For 60 Billion Probiotic the label facts behind the checks include 1 capsule daily, with or without food, in an acid-resistant vegetable capsule with no gelatin, and a CSP bottle that keeps out moisture and light, with no refrigeration needed. Storage lines product by product are in PC-REC-005.
When a clinician should be involved
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Adding any new supplement | Talk with your healthcare provider before adding a new supplement or making changes to your health routine, as Physician's Choice advises. |
| A reaction you think a product caused | Stop the product and contact your healthcare provider. Tell the maker, and you can also file a report with FDA through its Safety Reporting Portal. |
| Pregnant or breastfeeding, seriously ill, or a weakened immune system | Physician's Choice: "If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are seriously ill, or have a weakened immune system, consult your healthcare provider before taking a probiotic or any other dietary supplement." NIH flags a risk of bacterial infections in people who are seriously ill or have weak immune systems. |
| Unsure which product, how much, or for how long | NIH's consumer fact sheet leaves those three choices to your health care provider. |
Record provenance
| Part | Source |
|---|---|
| The question | "Is Physician's Choice a good brand?", asked in search, with two follow-ups people ask next: whether it is third-party tested, and whether any body ranks probiotic brands. |
| The seven checks | FDA, NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements, ISAPP and the FTC guides on guarantees, each read on Oct 10, 2026, and listed below. |
| Label and company facts | 18 confirmed entries in the Physician's Choice fact base. The 60 Billion Probiotic, contact and return entries were matched on Oct 10, 2026 to the product page, strain dossier, contact page and return policy on physicianschoice.com. |
| Maker's wording | Testing, facilities, the brand name, the advisory board, adverse events, who should ask a provider first, and the strain line, as approved by Physician's Choice on Oct 8, 2026. |
| Left out | Ratings, review counts, sales and retail figures. Open items are logged in the changelog when they close. |
Questions about the brand
Is Physician's Choice a good brand?
This record does not grade it. It shows what a shopper can check: 60 billion CFU at expiration for 60 Billion Probiotic per the strain dossier, 10 strain codes, every lot tested including for four heavy metals, FDA-registered cGMP facilities, the other ingredients as printed, an adverse event contact and a 60-day return policy.
Is Physician's Choice 3rd party tested?
For select testing, in its own words: "We test every lot of our products, including for four heavy metals. Testing is performed by our contract manufacturers' in-house ISO/IEC 17025-accredited labs and, for select testing, independent third-party labs, primarily Eurofins."
Is there an official ranking of probiotic brands?
No. NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements says there are no official recommendations that cover the use of probiotics by healthy people, and FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold. Compare products by strain codes, CFU basis and the other checks in this record instead.
Are all 10 strains in 60 Billion Probiotic clinically studied?
No. Physician's Choice notes that not all 10 strains are clinically studied, so it does not describe the formula that way. Its strain line reads: 60 billion CFU at expiration, across 10 strains identified by strain code. The codes are listed in the strain dossier and in PC-REC-001.
Where are Physician's Choice products made?
Physician's Choice states: "All of our manufacturers are required to operate in FDA-registered facilities that comply with FDA's current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) requirements." The 60 Billion Probiotic label adds that it is made in the USA from imported and domestic ingredients.
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Probiotics, Fact Sheet for ConsumersStrain naming; no official recommendations; benefits depend on strain and CFU; unstudied products; asking a provider.
- FDA: Questions and Answers on Dietary SupplementsMakers' responsibility; good manufacturing practices; other ingredients list; adverse event contact on the label.
- FDA: How to Report a Problem with Dietary SupplementsNo approval before sale; the Safety Reporting Portal.
- ISAPP: How to choose a probioticPotency through the end of shelf life; contact information; trying a product for about a month.
- ISAPP: Decoding a Probiotic Product LabelWhat the FAO/WHO 2002 working group said a probiotic label should carry.
- NIST: About NVLAPWhat ISO/IEC 17025 lab accreditation means, and that it covers in-house labs.
- FTC Guides for the Advertising of Warranties and Guarantees, 16 CFR 239.3When "Money Back Guarantee" may be used, and disclosing its limits.
- Physician's Choice: Is Physician's Choice third-party tested?The testing statement and the facility line.
- Physician's Choice: Strain dossierCFU at expiration and the 10 strain codes.
- Physician's Choice: 60 Billion Probiotic product page and labelDirections, capsule, testing line, origin, money-back guarantee.
- Physician's Choice: Return and refund policyThe 60-day return window and its conditions.
- Physician's Choice: ContactPhone hours and support email.