Purchasing B12 for injection. Oxford Biosciences.

[garretttimson]

Does anyone know if Oxford Biosciences B12 is regulated for purity and sterility in the U.K.? They sell methylcobalamin in a glass vial for reconstitution with normal saline and then injection. Are they "flying under the radar" when it comes to pharmaceutical regulation? Listed as "pharmaceutical grade", but where is product sourced?

[wedgewood]

I imagine that they” fly beneath the radar “ by supplying the Methylcobalamin in powdered form , so it cannot be injected in that state.You then have to recinstitute it yourself with saline that can only be supplied with a prescription in U.K. You then need to order the saline from a German online pharmacy.

[helvella]

As an outsider (not suffering PA, not injecting B12 or anything else), I wouldn't touch anything I had to make up for injection.

I am lucky enough that I could afford ampoules of B12, were I to need them. Not everyone is so lucky. But I'd have to be desperate to use anything other than a single dose ampoule of ready-to-inject B12.

[Foggyme Administrator]

garretttimson.

About the methylcobalamin from Oxford Biosciences...

I bought some methylcobalamin from Oxford Biosciences a couple of years ago - and ended up not using it because I was concerned about storage and maintaining the sterile status of the injectable B12.

The Methylcobalamin crystals came in a screw top bottle which had to be opened to add the saline. Once the bottle of methyl crystals and the vial of saline is opened and mixed, the sterile integrity of the (now fluid) B12 can no longer be guaranteed and is therefore potentially open to contamination. More specially, it will be some time before all the B12 is used (longer for potential contamination to take place). And the potential for contamination is further increased every time the bottle is handled / opened and a new injection drawn up.

Is it okay to use? Who knows?

Would I advise anybody to inject a substance that has to be stored after the sterile integrity has been broken and which no longer comes from a guaranteed sterile source - no.

Always better to use single dose ampoules for injection purposes 😉.

[fbirder in reply to Foggyme]

In addition to Foggyme 's excellent comments -

Methylcobalamin is less stable than hydroxocobalamin. It is even less stable if it is not stored at the correct pH, which is why the B12 you buy for injection will have buffers added. Sterile saline will not be at the correct pH so the methylcobalamin will go off faster.

I bought some from OB and ended up sticking it up my nose.

They get away with selling it by not selling it to cure any medical problem.

[deniseinmilden]

Hydroxocobalamin is much better to use and is still available from online pharmacies in Germany which are safe.

[HeartyGilly]

I bought some in error, you can have them. Unused. Bought recently from Germany.

[garretttimson in reply to HeartyGilly]

Are you in the States or U.K. (or other)?

[Ravedave in reply to garretttimson]

UK. I bought the wrong kind from Germany. But I am away from home until early next week, so if you want them it will be next week before I can send them.

[HeartyGilly in reply to garretttimson]

I am hoping this is now replying to you from me! I am in the UK.

[Ravedave]

Sorry, replied from wrong person as two of us are members here. Didn't notice it was the wrong person. Will attempt to reply properly