As reported in the international journal Materialia, researchers have successfully fabricated Fe-Mn-C degradable alloys by directly subjecting irregularly shaped Fe, Mn, and C elemental powders to laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Conventional degradable alloys require pre-alloyed atomized powders, which are costly and entail lengthy grade qualification cycles. This new route uses low-cost elemental powders for in-situ alloying, yielding the desired composition and mechanical properties directly in the as-printed state, thereby significantly shortening the material development pipeline. Biomedical degradable metals (e.g., bone screws, vascular stents) have clear demand for iron-based alloys, and this short-process material approach may accelerate their clinical translation and large-scale adoption. Value for powder buyers: ① The in-situ alloying route using elemental powders (pure iron, electrolytic manganese, carbon) could divert some demand from pre-alloyed powders, so it is worth tracking the competitive landscape of medical degradable alloy powder technologies. ② Requirements for sphericity of elemental powders are reduced, opening application windows for non-spherical powders in specific scenarios. ③ It is advisable to monitor progress in standardization and clinical registration of iron-based degradable alloys.