TrialTracker_MD said:The shortage clause is the answer to the second question and it is a subtraction rather than an addition.
Pushing back on TrialTracker_MD here. A research-chemical supplier selling lyophilised powder labelled research use only is not compounding and is not claiming to. It is a different legal universe with no pharmacy oversight, no patient relationship and no content guarantee, and conflating the two in these threads helps nobody.
jason_sac26 said:Two pharmacies quoted me last year, one describing itself as 503A and one as 503B, and I assumed 503B just meant bigger until both stopped within…
503A vs 503B compounding pharmacies for compounded supply — this distinction matters enormously:
| Feature | 503A | 503B |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | State Board of Pharmacy | FDA-registered |
| Prescription | Required (patient-specific) | Can compound without patient Rx |
| Testing | Varies by state | cGMP required |
| Scale | Small batches | Larger production |
| Quality consistency | Variable | Generally higher |
I strongly recommend 503B facilities. The FDA oversight and cGMP requirements mean more consistent product quality.
CarlaRPh_TPA said:A research-chemical supplier selling lyophilised powder labelled research use only is not compounding and is not claiming to.
Vendor communication red flags for compounded supply:
- Won't provide COA before purchase — walk away
- Claims "100% pure" without analytical data — unrealistic
- No physical address or phone number — accountability matters
- Pushes you to buy more than you need — pressure tactics
- Won't answer questions about their compounding process — transparency is key
- Payment only via crypto or wire transfer — legitimate pharmacies accept cards
A legitimate compounding pharmacy operates like a healthcare business, not a gray market dealer.
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Shop Reference StandardsFollowing on from MASHdoc_SA — and this may be the naive question:
Why a shortage listing created a legal pathway at all, since a shortage is a supply fact rather than a permission?
Reporting back.
The bulks-list asymmetry was the piece I had missed entirely. It explains why one of my two pharmacies is still arguing it can supply and the other simply stopped.