Compounding allows pharmacists to take care of each patient as an individual.
What Is Compounding?
- Personalized medication
- Medications made from individual ingredients, mixed in the exact strength and dosage form required for a specific patient
- Compounding allows the pharmacist and physician to work together and customize a medication to meet a patient’s specific need
- Compounding isn’t a new concept in pharmacy—the art of compounding dates back to the origin of pharmacy. In the 50 & 60’s, mass drug manufacturing took over and changed the landscape of pharmacy. This left certain patients’ needs being unmet.
Benefits of Compounding for Patients
- Drugs on the market now maybe too strong or too weak for you
- Hospice patients’ swallowing issue
- Pediatric patients change from pill form to liquid form
- Phenergan gel – drug for nausea/vomiting
- Change form all together—for example, pill to suppository
- Veterinary compounds—specific for species and can simplify dose form
Benefits of Compounding for the Physician
- Adherence – a patient may be unable or unwilling to take medication, and compounding can address the why of this with the patient and change to patient needs
- Adjust strength
- Remove unwanted ingredients
- Prepare medication in patient specific delivery forms.
Who Can We Compound for?
- Children to elderly patients
- Veterinary patients
Is Compounding Safe?
- Compounding has been in the science of pharmacy from the beginning
- All compounding pharmacies are monitored by their State Boards of Pharmacy, and many are working with a credentialing agency similar to what hospitals use in order to be accredited
- Gadsden City Pharmacy will start the process in the next few months of being PCAB (Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board) approved
What Types of Prescriptions Can Be Compounded?
- Any kind!
- Hormone replacement
- Pain Management
- Medication flavoring
- Wound Therapy