The Compounding Shop wants to emphasize that there are two basic categories of drugs that can be ordered via prescription: commercially available drugs and compounded medications.

Commercially available drugs are manufactured by US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) inspected firms that are compliant with Current Good Manufacturing Practices enforced by the FDA. They are available by prescription and can be obtained at retail pharmacies. They are reviewed and approved by the FDA for one or more specific indications, and also reviewed for safety and efficacy by the FDA. Examples of commercially available medications are:  Vytorin^TM, Celebrex^TM, Lipitor^TM, Advandia^TM and Zoloft^TM.

Compounded preparations are prepared by pharmacies that operate under state law, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) requirements and USP Good Compounding Guidelines. They are available by prescription from licensed pharmacies such as The Compounding Shop. These drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and efficacy, and are not approved by the FDA for any indication.

Compounding is regulated and overseen by the individual state Boards of Pharmacy and is a fundamental element of the practice of pharmacy.