Anyone can sell anything anyplace and face consequences later (if any). Who decides what can be sold in supermarkets, in drugstores, OTC or by prescription? Cocaine and related products are prohibited to sell. Can I sell other (non-coca) tree leaves? Do I have to test them for cocaine or other alcaloids? Why some hormones are sold by prescription, while others are sold OTC? Some cardiac glycosides are sold by prescription and some OTC. Who decides what constitutes a drug, and what is a “dietary supplement”?
Who knows?
Tx, Shiva. That’s what I suspected. Then, why such inconsistency - see some examples in my post. E.g., you can’t buy thyroid hormone, but similarly acting compounds are available OTC. Other hormones. And more. And all our resident doctors are mum. Apparently, they are less confident.
Probably because they do it on a product by product basis. When a new drug is developed, it goes through a long trial period of testing by the FDA. If it passes, it goes on the shelves. But if a related but different drug is developed, it has to go through the same testing phase before the FDA will approve it. There are no blanket approvals, as far as I know.
Likewise with genetically-engineered agricultural products. Each different engineering change is put through the approval process separately.
Jay, I know this. But how come one can sell DHEA, or melatonin. They are hormones, by anyone’s definition. The same with cardiac glycosids. And so on. In other words, why do I need the FDA approval for testosterone and do not for its metabolite?