Federal law requires the FDA to maintain an up-to-date list of drugs experiencing a shortage in the United States. This list has significant implications for the activities of compounding pharmacies, especially those categorized as 503A and 503B facilities. However, reliance on this list creates several challenges that can negatively impact both patients and these facilities.

503A pharmacies are traditional compounding pharmacies that create customized medications for individual patients based on prescriptions from licensed healthcare providers. They are allowed to compound medications listed on the FDA drug shortage list but only when fulfilling a valid prescription for an individual. Read More >