Quality & Testing Policy

Woodlands Biohack operates as a UK-based business-to-business wholesale supplier of research materials.

Our business, Woodlands Biohack Limited (company number 17490886), is based at 1g Brighouse Road, Middlesbrough, England, TS2 1RT, United Kingdom.

Unless expressly stated otherwise for an individual product, products supplied by Woodlands Biohack are supplied exclusively for legitimate laboratory, analytical and research purposes.

Our research materials are not supplied as:

• licensed medicines;
• pharmaceutical treatments;
• veterinary medicines;
• food products;
• dietary or food supplements;
• cosmetics;
• medical devices;
• diagnostic products; or
• products intended to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure disease.

The purpose of this Policy is to clearly explain what Woodlands Biohack does and does not represent regarding the quality and testing of products supplied through our business.

We recognise that research customers may have different requirements depending upon the nature and purpose of their work.

There is no single analytical characteristic or testing methodology that is necessarily sufficient for every possible research application.

For this reason, our approach is based upon three principles:

Transparency

We aim to accurately describe the products we offer and avoid making testing or quality claims that we cannot substantiate.

Traceability

Where reasonably available and appropriate, product and batch information may be retained to assist with order identification, supplier management and investigation of reported issues.

Customer verification

Professional and business customers remain responsible for determining what analytical verification is necessary for their particular research application.

Woodlands Biohack does not intend the information provided on our website to replace the purchasing organisation’s own quality-control, analytical or regulatory procedures.

Woodlands Biohack may obtain research materials from specialist manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors or other commercial suppliers.

Supplier selection may take account of factors including:

• product availability;
• product specifications;
• supplier information;
• batch information;
• consistency of supply;
• packaging;
• commercial history;
• responsiveness to quality enquiries;
• documentation made available by the supplier; and
• previous supply experience.

The precise level and type of information available may vary between products, manufacturers, suppliers and batches.

Supplier selection by Woodlands Biohack should not be interpreted as an independent certification of a manufacturer’s facility, processes or products unless we expressly state otherwise.

We aim to ensure that products are identified and described accurately based upon the information reasonably available to us.

Depending upon the product and information available, this may include:

• product name;
• nominal quantity;
• nominal mass or concentration;
• presentation;
• batch or lot information;
• storage information;
• supplier or manufacturer information held internally;
• product specification information; and
• other relevant technical information.

Not every category of information will necessarily be available for every product.

Product descriptions appearing on our website are intended to identify the research material being offered.

They should not be interpreted as a guarantee that a material has been independently verified by Woodlands Biohack for every possible chemical, physical, microbiological or other characteristic.

Unless expressly stated otherwise on the relevant product page or in documentation relating to a particular product or batch, Woodlands Biohack does not represent that every product or batch has undergone independent third-party analytical testing commissioned by Woodlands Biohack.

We do not make blanket representations that all products have been independently tested.

Random testing is carried out on batches as part of our quality checks; this means some batches are tested on a spot-check basis and it does not mean that every batch has been tested.

Where analytical information is available, the nature, source and limitations of that information should be considered.

Analytical testing can address different characteristics depending upon the methodology used.

For example, testing may potentially examine matters such as:

• identity;
• purity;
• molecular mass;
• composition;
• concentration;
• water content;
• residual solvents;
• impurities;
• microbial characteristics;
• endotoxin levels;
• sterility; or
• other characteristics.

A result concerning one characteristic does not automatically establish every other characteristic.

For example, a purity measurement obtained using a particular analytical method should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of sterility, absence of endotoxin, exact concentration or suitability for a particular application.

Business customers should therefore determine what testing is appropriate for their intended research activities.

Certificates of Analysis (COAs) are available upon request. Where a COA is held for a product or batch, you can ask to view it and we will provide it.

Random testing is carried out on batches, and certificates from that testing are available to view when requested.

If a specific product or batch has no certificate on file, we will tell you when you ask — the absence of a certificate for a particular batch does not itself establish that a product is unsuitable for research.

Equally, a certificate should not be interpreted as independent confirmation of every aspect of a product’s identity, purity, composition or other analytical characteristics.

Where documentation is supplied by a manufacturer, supplier or another third party, it should be understood in the context in which it was produced.

Woodlands Biohack will not knowingly represent third-party documentation as independent testing commissioned directly by Woodlands Biohack where this is not the case.

Customers requiring specific analytical documentation as a condition of purchase should contact us before ordering to establish what information, if any, is available for the relevant product or batch.

Unless supported by appropriate information relating to the relevant product or batch, Woodlands Biohack does not make a universal or blanket claim that every research material supplied has a particular percentage purity.

Statements concerning purity should only be interpreted in accordance with the specific analytical information to which they relate.

A reported purity figure may also depend upon:

• analytical methodology;
• instrumentation;
• sample preparation;
• calculation method;
• reference standards;
• detection method; and
• characteristics of the substance being analysed.

Customers requiring confirmation of a particular purity threshold should independently establish whether the available evidence and testing methodology satisfy their research requirements.

Woodlands Biohack supplies research materials to business and professional customers who are responsible for determining the analytical requirements appropriate to their own activities.

Where the identity, purity, concentration, composition or another characteristic is material to the Customer’s intended research, we recommend that the purchasing organisation considers appropriate independent analytical verification before relying upon the material for that application.

Depending upon the material and research requirements, this might involve techniques such as:

• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC);
• Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC);
• Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS);
• Mass Spectrometry (MS);
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR);
• amino-acid analysis;
• water-content analysis;
• residual-solvent testing;
• microbiological testing;
• endotoxin testing;
• sterility testing; or
• another scientifically appropriate analytical method.

The appropriate method depends upon the material and the purpose of the research.

Woodlands Biohack does not prescribe a universal testing method for every product.

Analytical results must be interpreted according to the methodology used.

No single analytical test necessarily establishes every relevant characteristic of a research material.

For example:

HPLC may provide information regarding chromatographic purity under the conditions of the particular test, but does not by itself necessarily establish every aspect of chemical identity or microbiological status.

Mass spectrometry may assist with molecular identification but does not automatically establish every possible impurity or quality characteristic.

Sterility testing concerns microbial contamination and should not be treated as equivalent to chemical purity testing.

Endotoxin testing addresses a different characteristic from chemical identity or chromatographic purity.

For this reason, Customers should assess analytical evidence as a whole and in relation to their specific research requirements.

Where applicable, products may carry batch, lot or other identifying information.

Such identifiers may assist with:

• stock management;
• traceability;
• identifying products;
• investigating reported concerns;
• linking available documentation to a particular supply; and
• communicating with suppliers.

Customers should retain relevant product packaging and batch information where traceability is important to their work.

A batch or lot identifier should not itself be interpreted as evidence that a particular analytical test has been performed.

Professional research organisations may operate their own quality-control systems.

Woodlands Biohack does not seek to replace those systems.

Customers should determine whether their intended activity requires procedures such as:

• incoming-goods inspection;
• quarantine pending analysis;
• sample retention;
• independent analytical verification;
• batch documentation;
• storage monitoring;
• chain-of-custody records;
• equipment calibration;
• internal approval before use;
• risk assessment; or
• additional quality-control procedures.

The appropriate procedures will depend upon the Customer’s organisation and intended research.

Research materials can be affected by environmental and storage conditions.

Customers are responsible for ensuring appropriate storage after delivery.

Factors potentially affecting materials may include:

• temperature;
• light;
• humidity;
• oxygen exposure;
• repeated temperature changes;
• contamination;
• physical damage;
• inappropriate containers; and
• prolonged storage.

Where product-specific storage information is supplied, Customers should take that information into account alongside their own professional procedures.

Once a product has been delivered, Woodlands Biohack cannot control the Customer’s storage environment.

We take reasonable steps to package products appropriately for commercial transport according to the nature of the goods and delivery arrangements.

However, Customers should inspect deliveries promptly.

Where a package appears:

• damaged;
• opened;
• compromised;
• incorrectly labelled;
• significantly affected during transit; or
• inconsistent with the order,

the Customer should contact Woodlands Biohack promptly and retain the product and packaging while the issue is investigated.

Where appropriate, photographs should be taken before packaging is discarded.

Customers should establish appropriate receiving procedures for research materials.

On receipt, we recommend checking:

• product name;
• quantity;
• packaging condition;
• label information;
• batch information where present; and
• consistency with the order placed.

Any obvious discrepancy should be reported promptly.

Customers intending to undertake independent analytical testing should consider retaining sufficient original material and packaging to enable an issue to be investigated if necessary.

Woodlands Biohack cannot control what happens to a research material after it has been delivered.

Processes such as:

• reconstitution;
• dilution;
• mixing;
• formulation;
• transfer between containers;
• exposure to different temperatures;
• repeated freeze/thaw cycles;
• filtration;
• handling; and
• storage after opening

may affect a material.

The Customer is responsible for validating any processing method used within its research activities.

Unless expressly agreed otherwise, analytical information relating to an original supplied material should not automatically be assumed to describe the material after it has been processed, diluted, reconstituted or otherwise modified by the Customer.

Products designated as research materials are supplied for legitimate research purposes only.

They are not supplied by Woodlands Biohack for:

• human consumption;
• self-administration;
• human injection;
• administration to another person;
• veterinary administration;
• therapeutic use;
• diagnosis;
• treatment;
• prevention of disease; or
• use as licensed medicines.

The presence of published research concerning a particular compound does not alter the intended use of products supplied by Woodlands Biohack.

Our website may contain information about scientific literature, mechanisms of action, research pathways, experimental findings or clinical studies relating to compounds sharing the same name or chemical identity as research materials offered by us.

Such information is provided for educational and scientific context.

Unless expressly stated and evidenced otherwise, references to external research do not mean that:

• Woodlands Biohack supplied the material used in that research;
• our particular batch was tested in that research;
• our product has been clinically evaluated;
• our product is approved for therapeutic use; or
• research findings constitute a claim regarding the performance of a Woodlands Biohack product.

Scientific literature and commercial product verification are separate matters.

Woodlands Biohack does not provide:

• medical advice;
• diagnoses;
• treatment recommendations;
• prescribing advice;
• dosing protocols;
• injection instructions;
• administration instructions; or
• personalised medical recommendations.

Questions concerning a research material should therefore be limited to legitimate commercial, technical or research-supply matters.

The availability of a product from Woodlands Biohack does not constitute a representation that the material is suitable for every laboratory method, experiment or research objective.

Customers are responsible for assessing suitability for their particular application.

Where a particular characteristic is essential to the Customer’s research, the Customer should verify that characteristic using an appropriate method before relying upon the material.

From time to time, technical information or documentation may originate from:

• manufacturers;
• suppliers;
• analytical laboratories;
• logistics providers; or
• other third parties.

Where we provide third-party information, we aim not to materially misrepresent its source.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, provision of third-party documentation should not be interpreted as Woodlands Biohack independently reproducing or verifying every statement contained within that documentation.

Customers should consider the source, date, scope and methodology of any analytical information.

Customers may choose to commission their own independent analytical testing.

Woodlands Biohack does not require Customers to use a particular laboratory unless expressly agreed for a specific commercial arrangement.

Customers selecting a laboratory should consider factors relevant to their needs, which may include:

• laboratory competence;
• accreditation where relevant;
• analytical methodology;
• validation;
• detection limits;
• sample handling;
• reporting standards;
• chain of custody; and
• suitability of the method for the relevant compound.

The Customer remains responsible for deciding whether a particular laboratory and analytical method meet its requirements.

If a Customer has a genuine concern regarding a product supplied by Woodlands Biohack, we encourage the Customer to contact us promptly.

Please provide as much relevant information as possible, including:

• order number;
• product name;
• quantity;
• batch or lot identifier where available;
• date received;
• nature of the concern;
• photographs where relevant;
• storage history;
• whether the product has been opened or processed; and
• any analytical results relevant to the concern.

Quality concerns should be sent to admin@woodlandsbiohack.com with “Quality Concern” in the subject line.

Where appropriate, Woodlands Biohack may investigate a reported concern by:

• reviewing order records;
• reviewing batch information;
• reviewing available supplier information;
• examining photographs;
• requesting additional information from the Customer;
• contacting the relevant supplier;
• comparing other reports relating to the same product or batch; and
• taking other proportionate steps appropriate to the circumstances.

An investigation does not constitute an admission that a product is defective.

The outcome will depend upon the available evidence.

Where a Customer obtains an analytical result raising a concern, we may ask for sufficient information to understand and evaluate that result.

Relevant information may include:

• the laboratory used;
• sample identification;
• analytical method;
• test date;
• full analytical report;
• chromatograms or spectra where relevant;
• sample-preparation method;
• chain-of-custody information; and
• information regarding storage and handling before analysis.

This is important because results produced using different analytical methods or conditions may not always be directly comparable.

Woodlands Biohack will consider credible evidence reasonably and in good faith.

Where a quality concern is raised, Customers should not immediately dispose of the affected product or original packaging.

We may reasonably request that the Customer retains:

• the remaining material;
• original vial or container;
• product label;
• outer packaging; and
• relevant batch information

while an investigation is undertaken.

Disposal before an investigation may limit our ability to establish what occurred.

Where information available to Woodlands Biohack provides reasonable grounds for concern about a product or batch, we may take proportionate action.

Depending upon the circumstances, this may include:

• temporarily suspending sales;
• reviewing supplier information;
• seeking additional information;
• contacting affected Customers;
• arranging additional investigation;
• withdrawing stock;
• requesting return of affected stock; or
• taking other action reasonably appropriate to the circumstances.

The precise action will depend upon the nature and credibility of the information available.

Where a formal product recall or withdrawal is considered necessary or legally required, Woodlands Biohack may contact affected Customers using the contact details associated with their order or account.

Business Customers should therefore maintain accurate contact information.

Customers purchasing for onward supply are responsible for maintaining any traceability records required for their own activities.

Where appropriate, supplier performance may be reviewed in light of:

• supply consistency;
• documentation;
• product concerns;
• fulfilment accuracy;
• packaging;
• responsiveness;
• repeated issues; and
• other relevant commercial or quality considerations.

We reserve the right to suspend or discontinue sourcing from a supplier where we consider this appropriate.

Customers should not assume that documentation or analytical information concerning one product automatically applies to:

• another product;
• another strength;
• another presentation;
• another manufacturer;
• another supplier; or
• another batch.

Where batch-specific verification is important, Customers should ensure that any documentation relied upon corresponds to the material being assessed.

All analytical testing has a defined scope and limitations.

A test result should be interpreted according to:

• the sample tested;
• the method used;
• equipment used;
• reference standards;
• sample preparation;
• laboratory procedures;
• detection limits;
• measurement uncertainty; and
• reporting criteria.

Testing a sample cannot necessarily establish every characteristic of an entire batch.

Customers should therefore avoid treating a single analytical result as evidence of characteristics that the test was not designed to measure.

Unless Woodlands Biohack expressly states otherwise in writing, the sale of a research material does not mean that the material has been:

• certified under Good Manufacturing Practice (“GMP”);
• tested under Good Laboratory Practice (“GLP”);
• approved by the MHRA;
• approved as a medicine;
• certified sterile;
• certified endotoxin-free;
• approved for clinical use; or
• independently certified for a particular application.

These terms have specific meanings and should not be inferred merely from the availability or supply of a research product.

Customers are responsible for identifying the laws, regulations, licences, permissions and professional standards applicable to their activities.

This may vary depending upon:

• the material;
• jurisdiction;
• type of organisation;
• intended research;
• quantity;
• storage;
• onward supply; and
• other circumstances.

Availability on woodlandsbiohack.com should not be interpreted as confirmation that every possible activity involving a material is lawful in every jurisdiction.

Business Customers purchasing products for lawful onward supply remain responsible for their own:

• product descriptions;
• marketing;
• labelling;
• customer verification;
• regulatory compliance;
• quality claims;
• analytical claims;
• storage;
• handling;
• traceability; and
• legal obligations.

Customers must not state or imply that Woodlands Biohack has independently tested, certified or approved a product where we have not done so.

Woodlands Biohack aims to distinguish between:

• product information — information identifying the research material;
• supplier information — information provided by a manufacturer or upstream supplier;
• analytical information — information resulting from a defined test or analytical method; and
• independent verification — testing conducted independently of the commercial supply chain where applicable.

We believe keeping these concepts separate helps professional customers evaluate information appropriately.

Our objective is not to make the largest possible quality claim.

Our objective is to describe our research materials and the information available about them as accurately and transparently as reasonably possible.

Accordingly, we aim not to:

• invent analytical results;
• advertise testing that has not occurred;
• represent supplier documentation as independent testing where it is not;
• claim regulatory approval that does not exist;
• describe research products as licensed medicines;
• guarantee characteristics that have not been established; or
• imply that a particular analytical test proves characteristics outside the scope of that test.

Professional Customers should perform due diligence proportionate to their intended research.

Where appropriate, this may involve:

• reviewing product information before purchase;
• determining required specifications;
• requesting available technical information;
• inspecting material upon receipt;
• checking batch information;
• ensuring appropriate storage;
• conducting independent analytical testing;
• documenting results;
• maintaining traceability; and
• approving material through the Customer’s own quality system before research use.

The appropriate level of due diligence will depend upon the nature and risk of the intended research.

Product presentation, manufacturer, upstream supplier, packaging or other non-essential characteristics may change from time to time.

Where a particular manufacturer, specification, analytical characteristic or other requirement is essential to a Customer’s purchase decision, the Customer should confirm that requirement with Woodlands Biohack before ordering.

Woodlands Biohack may update this Quality & Testing Policy from time to time to reflect:

• changes to our business;
• changes to suppliers;
• changes to our quality processes;
• changes in applicable law;
• regulatory guidance;
• new analytical practices; or
• improvements to our procedures.

The latest version will be published on our website.

The “Last updated” date at the top of this Policy indicates the date of the current version.

This Policy provides information about our approach to quality and analytical testing.

It does not replace our Terms & Conditions.

Where a transaction is governed by the Woodlands Biohack Terms & Conditions, those Terms form part of the contractual relationship between Woodlands Biohack and the Customer.

Nothing in this Policy excludes, restricts or overrides any responsibility or liability which cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

Questions concerning product information, available documentation or this Quality & Testing Policy should be directed to:

• Woodlands Biohack Limited (company number 17490886), 1g Brighouse Road, Middlesbrough, England, TS2 1RT, United Kingdom;
• Email: admin@woodlandsbiohack.com;
• Website: woodlandsbiohack.com.

For a product-specific enquiry, please include the product name and, where relevant, your order number and batch information.