Accepted answer
The relevant point is that two competent laboratories disagree by half a per cent on identical material, which is larger than most of the differences people argue about.
To compare properly: order the same compound at the same nominal strength from each supplier, submit all samples to the same laboratory in the same submission if possible, and ask for the same test set on each.
Cost per milligram, adjusted honestly
| Step | Value | Note |
|---|
| Vial price, 10 mg nominal | £34.00 | As advertised |
| Nominal cost per mg | £3.40 | 34 ÷ 10 |
| Measured content | 9.2 mg | Independent content assay |
| Cost per actual mg | £3.70 | 34 ÷ 9.2 |
| Dead-space loss, 20 draws | 4 % | 80 µL of a 2 mL fill |
| Cost per delivered mg | £3.85 | 3.70 ÷ 0.96 |
| First vial, with £110 assay | £14.85 | Testing dominates a single vial |
The part that matters: content is the more discriminating measurement than purity for supplier comparison, because purity clusters tightly among competent suppliers and content does not.
Content assay results across the published datasets vary considerably more between suppliers than purity does, which makes content the more discriminating axis.
One laboratory, one method, one submission. Otherwise it is not a comparison.
8Adding a vote because this deserves more of them. – e_dziedzic 9 months ago add a comment