What is compounding pharmacy?
We may all need to rely on medication for our well-being at some point in our lives. But unfortunately, the standardised dosages in some commercially available medications do not meet the specific needs of some individuals. In such cases, a compounding pharmacy may be required to customise the patients’ medication.
Most people don’t know about the concept of compounding pharmacy, or its difference from a regular pharmacy. In this article we explain the basics and why you may need one.
What is compounding?
Compounding (in the field of pharmacy) is the art and science of creating and customising pharmaceutical products depending on the patient’s unique needs, which cannot be met by commercially available products. It is a service provided by some pharmacies, performed by a trained pharmacist who works with prescribers and doctors to bridge gap left by commercially available medications.
What is the difference to a normal pharmacy?
The main function of both types of pharmacies is to prepare the medications prescribed for patients. The major difference is that normal or regular pharmacies provide a commercial version of a drug with a standardised dosage, while a compounding pharmacy can offer you a personalised medication and can provide the perfect dose for you depending on your medical condition.
Compounding pharmacies are really important for those patients who were not able to use commercially manufactured medications. Here are some of the benefits with a compounding pharmacy:
- Compounding pharmacy helps the patient to take medication easier
- Compounding pharmacy allows patients to have access to discontinued medications and even hard to find medications
- A compounding pharmacy can provide the proper dosage of medication with exact strength for you
- A compounding pharmacy can make your medication allergy-friendly.
- A compounding pharmacy offers unique services that you will never experience in other larger Pharmacy chains.
What is involved?
Some people experience challenges in taking medication such as; stomach problems, hesitancy in taking medication due to taste, struggling with swallowing pills, needing different dosage than that made available commercially, and refusing medication (pets and children).
To solve these problems experts came up with the safest solution by compounding medication to:
- Create an exact dosage perfect for the specific need of a patient
- Customise the medication in another form to make it easier to use like changing unpleasant flavor to fruity flavor, and pill to liquid form.
- Eliminate offensive ingredients that cause problems without sacrificing the effectiveness of the medication, especially for a patient who is sensitive and has allergies.
- Meet patients dietary preferences like in a vegetarian (eg. cellulose) capsule rather than a meat-sourced capsule (eg. gelatin)
Compounding pharmacists can develop expert formulas specialty for animal or veterinary medicine, cosmeceuticals. dermatology, hormone therapy, pain management, and sports medicine.