What is a compounding pharmacy?
A compounding pharmacy makes a medication to order instead of selling one made in a factory. The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, which means the agency hasn't checked them before they're sold. That makes the pharmacy itself the thing to ask about. On November 13, 2026, 28 of 92 Georgia spas said on their website what kind of pharmacy they use.
Updated November 13, 2026. Not medical advice.
What the FDA says
From the FDA's own page on compounding: "Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed."
That is true of every compounded drug, from any pharmacy. So "FDA-approved" is the wrong thing to look for here. Look for a licensed pharmacy that the spa will name.
The two kinds, side by side
| State-licensed pharmacy | Outsourcing facility | |
|---|---|---|
| You may see it called | 503A | 503B |
| Who watches it | Mostly the state board of pharmacy | Mostly the FDA, which inspects it |
| Held to factory standards (CGMP)? | No | Yes |
| Is the drug FDA-approved? | No | No |
The FDA describes outsourcing facilities as "inspected by FDA according to a risk-based schedule" and "subject to increased quality standards." For state-licensed pharmacies it says state boards of pharmacy "have primary responsibility for the day-to-day oversight."
This site doesn't rank one kind over the other. A listing shows which kind a spa says it uses, in the spa's own words.
Three things to ask the spa
- What is the name of the pharmacy?
- What state is it licensed in?
- Is it a state-licensed pharmacy or an FDA-registered outsourcing facility?
With the name and the state you can look the pharmacy up on that state's board of pharmacy website. A spa that won't name its pharmacy has told you something too.
What Georgia spas say today
Of 92 places checked on November 13, 2026: 28 name the pharmacy or say it's a licensed US compounding pharmacy. 16 use words like "pharmaceutical grade" without saying anything about the pharmacy. 48 don't mention where the product comes from. The Georgia list has a filter for the ones that do.
Short answers
Are compounded medications FDA-approved?
No. The FDA says: "Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This means that FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed."
What is the difference between a 503A and a 503B pharmacy?
A 503A pharmacy is a state-licensed pharmacy, overseen mostly by its state board of pharmacy. A 503B outsourcing facility registers with the FDA, is inspected by the FDA and has to meet factory quality standards called CGMP. Drugs from either one are not FDA-approved.