Medicine provided in the store by a pharmaceutical company is a precise strength and form of that medicine. Sometimes, it is necessary to have a different strength or form to fit a patient’s need. That is where compounding medicine and compounding pharmacies comes in handy. Compounding medicine is the practice of preparing drugs in a new form such as if a drug is only available in a pill, the compounding pharmacist is able to take that and make it into something more palatable like a lollipop or lozenge. This is helpful when the patient is not able to swallow a pill. Compounding also mixes the medicine in a precise strength that might not be produced by the pharmacy company.
Compounding pharmacies are still overseen by the state and federal agencies as well as the Food and Drug Administration. Standards are issued that the compounding agency must adhere to similar to that of the commercial pharmacies. The environments must be sterile. Compounding pharmacies must become licensed and adhere to standards to keep their licensing. Compounding pharmacists must be licensed to provide compounded medicine.
Compounding pharmacies are used when a physician prescribes a drug that isn’t commercially available to meet your needs. It could be the form of the administration of the drug is a pill and you would prefer a cream or liquid. The commercial dose of the drug could be higher than what your phsycian wants so compounding the medicine can provide a lower dose. Compounding can also be used when a medication is discontinued by a pharmaceutical company due to the drug not being profitable to manufacture anymore. Your doctor can send your prescription to a compounding pharmacy to have the drug made specifically for you and your needs.
Compounding pharmacies can combine several of your medicines into one form of administration limiting the number of tablets to take. By making one pill, patients are more compliant in taking the pills. This aspect comes invaluable for people that may on several pills that need to be taken at the same time of day. Again, it is up to your physician to notify the compounding pharmacy to combine the pills.
Compounding pharmacies and medicines becomes valuable when a person has an allergy to certain dyes, lactose, gluten or alcohol. If you are allergic to something in the commercial medication, compounding the medicine will take aware unwanted reactions due to the allergy. This allows the patient to have the proper treatment without the allergy side effect.
When it comes to prescriptions, remember that compounding medicines can provide an extensive drug knowledge helping the patient receive a truly unique treatment plan that would be right for the patient and issue being treated.
