Dr.NephBHM_UK said:

I have been on both brand and compounded, and in the context of compounded supply, my experience has been equivalent with both.

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 1 Form 483 observations in their last 2 inspections.

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

mark_tokyo said:

Agreed, and the enforcement dates were staggered by category — 503A first, 503B a few weeks later — because outsourcing facilities have manufactured…

Thank you for spelling out the reasoning rather than just the conclusion.

Dr.NephBHM_UK said:

I have been on both brand and compounded, and in the context of compounded supply, my experience has been equivalent with both.

For compounded supply users considering compounded for the first time: here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Get a prescription from your doctor (telehealth counts)
2. Research 503B compounding pharmacies with good community reviews
3. Verify their FDA registration and inspection history
4. Request a COA for your specific compound before ordering
5. Start with a 1-month supply to test
6. Consider sending a sample to Janoshik for independent verification
7. Track your response compared to brand (if you were on it previously)

zoe_NC 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…

Compounding pharmacy response time test for compounded supply: I email customer service at odd hours to test responsiveness. A pharmacy that can't answer questions promptly is a red flag.

My current pharmacy: average response time same day. They answered my questions about sterility testing thoroughly and professionally.

Communication quality is a proxy for operational quality. A pharmacy that communicates well is likely manufacturing well too.

Moderator note: two posts asking for a source have been merged into one. Please search the thread before asking again.