If you've found yourself searching "where can I get a stool transplant," you're probably at a point where you've exhausted other options, done your research, and decided that Fecal Microbiota Transplantation is something you want to seriously pursue. That's the right instinct for many patients — particularly those dealing with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, where FMT has an evidence-based 90%+ cure rate. The challenge is that finding a qualified provider is less intuitive than it should be. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it.
First, a Quick Note on Terminology
"Stool transplant," "fecal transplant," "fecal microbiota transplant," and "FMT" all refer to the same procedure: the transfer of carefully screened donor stool — and the microbial community it contains — into a recipient's gastrointestinal tract to restore a healthy gut microbiome. The medical term is Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT), but all of these terms are used interchangeably by patients and, increasingly, by clinicians.
Your Three Main Options for Getting a Stool Transplant
1. A Specialized Outpatient FMT Clinic
This is where most patients get the best combination of access, flexibility, and experience. Specialized outpatient FMT clinics — like Purety Clinic in Santa Barbara, California — have made FMT a core part of their practice. These clinics typically offer multiple delivery methods (capsules, enema, colonoscopy), accept patients from across the country, offer remote consultations, and have clinicians with deep FMT-specific experience built over many years and hundreds or thousands of cases.
Our clinic has provided over 1,200 FMT protocols over the past 12 years. Initial consultations are available remotely. We discuss whether FMT is appropriate for your situation during consultation, including delivery options and applicable requirements.
2. A Hospital Gastroenterology Program
Many academic medical centers and large hospital systems have GI departments that perform FMT, almost always via colonoscopy. These programs are appropriate for some patients — particularly those who need the full infrastructure of a hospital setting due to immunocompromise or other complex medical conditions. The downsides: waitlists can be long, referrals from a GI specialist are typically required, delivery options are usually limited to colonoscopy, and the clinician performing your FMT may have done it far less frequently than the specialist at a dedicated FMT clinic.
3. FDA-Approved FMT Products
Rebyota (fecal microbiota, live-jslm) and Vowst (fecal microbiota spores, live-brpk) are FDA-approved products with specific indications for preventing recurrent C. difficile infection in adults following antibiotic treatment. Their approval does not extend to conventional donor-stool FMT or a clinic's own protocols. Ask your treating clinician about the appropriate setting, administration, risks, and alternatives.
Different microbiota products and donor-material protocols have different evidence, risks, and regulatory requirements. Do not assume that a clinic's donor material is safer or more effective than an approved product. Risks are reviewed in detail during consultation.
How to Find an FMT Provider Near You
There is no single national directory of FMT providers, which is part of why patients find this confusing. Here are the most reliable ways to find a qualified provider:
Search specifically for FMT clinics, not just gastroenterologists. Most GI specialists are not FMT specialists. Searching "FMT clinic [your state]" or "fecal microbiota transplant clinic California" will surface clinics that have made this a specialty, which is a different population from general GI practices.
Check whether the provider offers remote consultations. If you're not near a major metropolitan area — or if you're near one but can't find a qualified FMT provider locally — a clinic that offers telehealth consultations dramatically expands your options. At our clinic, we consult with patients from across California and nationally. Many patients from Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, and beyond travel to our Santa Barbara clinic specifically for FMT.
Look for published outcome data or patient volume. An experienced FMT clinic should be able to tell you how many patients they've treated and what their success rate is for C. diff. If a provider is vague about this, take it as a data point.
Ask about delivery options. A clinic offering only colonoscopy delivery is more limited than one offering capsules, enema, and colonoscopy. Capsule-based FMT, validated by randomized controlled trials as equivalent to colonoscopy for C. diff, is significantly more convenient and may not require travel at all if materials can be shipped.
What the Process Looks Like, Step by Step
For patients considering our clinic, here is the typical process:
Step 1: Remote consultation. We start with a thorough review of your medical history, prior C. diff treatments, test results, and current symptoms. This can be done by telehealth. We confirm whether you're a candidate for FMT and discuss which delivery method is most appropriate.
Step 2: Pre-treatment preparation. Depending on your protocol, there may be a short antibiotic course immediately before FMT to reduce the existing bacterial burden and create a favorable environment for donor colonization. We provide detailed written instructions.
Step 3: Treatment. For capsule-based protocols, materials are shipped directly and the treatment is completed at home over a 14-day course. For enema delivery, you come to our Santa Barbara clinic. For colonoscopy delivery, we coordinate with our Southern California procedural partners.
Step 4: Follow-up. We schedule follow-up consultations to monitor your response. Most patients with recurrent C. diff see significant improvement within the first week. Full resolution is typically confirmed within six weeks.
How Far Do Patients Travel for FMT?
More than you might expect. A significant portion of our patient base travels from outside the Santa Barbara area — from Los Angeles (about 90 minutes), San Diego, the Bay Area, and in some cases from out of state. For patients who have been dealing with recurrent C. diff through multiple antibiotic failures, the willingness to travel for a treatment with a 90%+ cure rate is not hard to understand. When capsule-based delivery is appropriate, the travel requirement is minimal — often just a single telehealth consultation.
The Bottom Line
If you're asking where you can get a stool transplant, the answer is: from a specialized outpatient FMT clinic with a track record of experience and outcomes, via a hospital gastroenterology program, or through a prescription for one of the two FDA-approved FMT pharmaceutical products.
The most important thing is to choose a provider with genuine FMT expertise — not just a GI practice that has done it a handful of times. Ask about patient volume, donor screening protocols, delivery options, and what happens if the first treatment doesn't fully resolve your symptoms.
If you'd like to discuss whether FMT is right for you — particularly if you're dealing with recurrent C. difficile — we offer remote initial consultations. Reach out and we'll review your case together.
