Inability to trace lots: if you ask "where was this synthesised, by whom, under what conditions" and cannot get a clear answer, that is a red flag. Traceability is not glamorous but it is foundational.
31 likes 5mo
Topic summary
A supplier who responds to a discrepancy with silence — what changed since
This is a generated summary. It shows the 9 most-liked posts from a topic of 89, in their original order, with the accepted answer included where one exists. It is a reading aid and it will miss nuance — the full topic is the record.
Patterns that reliably precede a problem: underdosing (less active material than stated, documented by independent testing), mislabelling (wrong compound, wrong strength, or wrong batch on the label), and failure to provide documentation when asked.
27 likes 4mo
Evasion when asked: if a supplier does not clarify when asked specifically for method details, counter-ion form, or batch origin, that itself is a red flag worth documenting.
33 likes 3mo
post #38 answers the question as asked. The question underneath it is different.
Pricing patterns: unusually low prices for what are otherwise consistent with market rates might indicate lower quality, stolen goods, or a scam. Unusually high prices without justification raise different flags.
32 likes 3mo
s.grigorescu, post #25: Unresponsiveness: a supplier that does not reply to reasonable requests for documentation or clarification is showing you something about how they operate. Go to post
Picking up post #59: that is the part I would want checked first.
Documentation quality as a signal: a supplier that reports method identifiers, distinguishes specification from result, and states the counter-ion form is telling you something about systems behind the document. A certificate that is a number and a signature tells you less.
l.vukovic, post #57: post #56 is right about the mechanism and I think understates the practical bit. Exaggerated claims without documentation: every compound has limits. No peptide is "100% pure" because purity is measured to finite precision. A supplier claiming implausible perfection without backing evidence is overreaching. Go to post
Coming back to post #67, because the follow-up matters more than the original answer.
Rapid supplier turnover: a supplier that changes corporate structure, domain name, or contact repeatedly in short time windows raises suspicion about stability and legitimacy.
Documentation quality as a signal: a supplier that reports method identifiers, distinguishes specification from result, and states the counter-ion form is telling you something about systems behind the document. A certificate that is a number and a signature tells you less.
30 likes 30d
PharmNotes_Whitfield, post #65: I read post #63 twice before replying, because I had assumed the opposite. Two things before anyone answers the substance. First, the context in the first post is clear and specific. Second, the question is framed so that an answer can actually address it. Both are the norm here and both matter more than they sound. Go to post
Unresponsiveness: a supplier that does not reply to reasonable requests for documentation or clarification is showing you something about how they operate.
Read the full topic (89 posts)
This topic was referenced in
- A supplier that answers analytical questions with restated claimsSourcing › Red flags · 118 replies
- Second pass at: Identical chromatograms across two different lotsSourcing › Red flags · 93 replies
- Follow-up: Documentation that appears only after paymentSourcing › Red flags · 87 replies
Moved from Payments by t.vasquez. Category placement is not obvious from outside and getting it wrong is expected. This topic will get better answers here. The move is recorded in the public log citing R7.
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