Dr.LeslieOBGYN said:

Compounding pharmacy response time test for compounded supply: I email customer service at odd hours to test responsiveness.

FDA inspection results for compounding pharmacies selling compounded supply: you can look up any 503B facility's FDA inspection history on the FDA website.

Check for: Form 483 observations (violations), warning letters, and recall history. A clean inspection record is a strong indicator of quality. My pharmacy has had 0 Form 483 observations in their last 4 inspections.

This is public information. Use it. Link: fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations

Dr.LipidDallas said:

Worth adding the genuine exception, because it is real and narrow: a change made for an identified patient where the prescriber determines it produces…

Saving this. It is the first explanation that did not require me to already understand it. Sending this to two other people who asked me the same thing last week.

Dr.LeslieOBGYN said:

Compounding pharmacy response time test for compounded supply: I email customer service at odd hours to test responsiveness.

Compounding pharmacy red flag checklist for compounded supply — if ANY of these apply, find a different source:

1. No verifiable physical address
2. No pharmacist available for consultation
3. COA not available or clearly template/fake
4. Prices dramatically below market ($30-40/month = suspicious)
5. No prescription required
6. Ships without cold pack or temperature control
7. No batch/lot numbers on product labeling
8. Pushes "research use only" products for human injection

Your health depends on product quality. Don't cut corners on source verification.

mel_PDX 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…

Regarding compounded supply compounding legality: compounding pharmacies can legally produce semaglutide and tirzepatide while these drugs remain on the FDA shortage list. If/when the shortage resolves, the legal landscape may change.

Stay informed. The FDA shortage list is updated regularly. Current status as of my last check: semaglutide shortage ongoing, tirzepatide partially resolved. This directly impacts compounding availability.

Moderator note: the sourcing question belongs in the vendor section and has been split out. No action needed from anybody.