Compounding Pharmacy

What do we know about compounding pharmacies? What compounding pharmacies do is to mix pharmaceutical ingredients to create a customized product for patient-specific prescriptions.

Compounding pharmacies have become very well known over the years. Many patients who have not obtained the desired outcomes from traditional medications have had their special circumstances met through compounded personalized medication.

Compounding is where a particular type of medication is developed to meet the specific needs of an individual. Trained and experienced pharmacy personnel make these medications utilizing software and pharmaceutical machinery specially designed for compounding pharmacies.

The pharmacy state boards are responsible for regulating compounding pharmacies. Medications produced on a large scale by pharmaceutical manufacturers often do not meet the specific needs of many patients.

So, all this sounds amazing but let’s dig into the details. Below are the seven benefits of compounding pharmacies:

1. Personalized Medication

Commercially available medications serve the needs of most patients. But what recourse of action can be utilized if the dose is not appropriate? What happens when a patient can’t take the dosage form that the medication comes in? What if a patient isn’t absorbing the medication and needs a different route of administration? What options are there when a patient needs a combination of many medications? What can be done when a constituent of a commercially available product violates a patient’s religious beliefs? What options are available when a patient is vegan and desires non-animal sourcing? There are many reasons why a personalized approach can solve a patient’s needs via a compounding pharmacy when commercially available medications are not appropriate or a compounded medication is medically necessary.

Compounding pharmacies can help provide optimal dosage forms for patients that they may not be able to acquire in standard pharmacies. Personalized medication through compounding pharmacies can help improve outcomes and optimize medication therapy.

2. Commercially Unavailable/Discontinued Medications

For sourcing issues or reasons of profitability, production of some medications are completely and outright discontinued. Those patients that have been stabilized on these medications are left in limbo, often frantically searching for a viable replacement. Compounding pharmacies often fill the gap in these situations, sourcing USP/NF-grade pharmaceutical ingredients manufactured in FDA registered facilities. They then fulfill medications written on behalf of a patient by prescription only by licensed practitioners.

Many times practitioners will unearth evidenced based novel medication treatments that are not commercially available. Many compounding pharmacies become a go-to problem-solving entity in which, through the triad of Patient-Practitioner-Pharmacist, patients’ needs are met.

This is especially true regarding what is referred to as a bioidentical hormone. Many men and women have achieved balanced hormone replacement naturally through plant-derived bioidentical hormone replacement therapy made in compounding pharmacies. These combinations and strengths are commercially unavailable and must be compounded pursuant to a practitioner’s order. Compounding commercially unavailable or discontinued medications by closely working with practitioners has bridged the gap in providing medically necessary treatments that are life-changing for many individuals.

3. It’s Convenient

Many times taking medication can be difficult and complicated. This is particularly true when it comes to children and pets such as cats. Many medications cats require are bitter in nature. t times, getting a cat to take medication is akin to winning the lottery. Compounding pharmacies often mix medication directly into pureed salmon, tuna and sardines in a concoction informally known as triple-fish. The dose are then often pre-loaded in single-dose oral syringes. All of a sudden, the dreaded medication ordeal has turned into treat time.

Often measuring a liquid formulation can turn into a real mess. The days of attempting to measure medication by using a tablespoon or teaspoon are over. Special adaptacaps can be placed directly on medication bottles allowing a syringe to directly and exactly measure dosages with no mess! There any number of ways that having medications compounded when medically necessary can make therapy convenient.

4. Provides Unique Treatments

Compounding pharmacies exist as problem-solving pharmacies. Providing unique treatments are part of their daily routine. Many compounding pharmacists have developed a strong rapport with practitioners because of their problem-solving skills and ability to create unique treatments for a variety of patient needs.

Unique treatments have been made for a host of special populations from newborn babies only days old, to the elderly, to dogs, cats and guinea pigs to name a few. Treatments range from suspensions to injections to suppositories to lollipops to nasal sprays and more. One compounding pharmacy made ophthalmic eye drops loaded in a super squirt gun to administer to an ape through the bars of his cage. The imagination is the only limit to the number of unique treatments that can be conjured up to address special needs.

5. Compounding Pharmacies Help Children Take Their Medicine

Children can be challenging when attempting to administer medication. Taste, texture, and smell can be the deciding factor between medication compliance versus disaster. This is especially true when dealing with autism in which these children can be exceptionally particular. Compounding pharmacies are adept at masking bad tasting medication with flavoring.

Many dosages are only available in a tablet or capsule formulation. Swallowing medication can be challenging even for some adults. Thankfully, most medications can be changed to a suspension pursuant to a prescription. Medication only works if the patient takes it.

6. Compounding Pharmacies Can Address Allergic Reactions

What recourse is there when a patient has an allergic reaction? Often patients are not allergic to the active ingredient of a medication, but rather to one of the inactive ingredients. Red dyes, gluten, soy, eggs, and dairy are common culprits found as an excipient in medications that are commercially available. Compounding pharmacies have access to many active ingredients in their pure form. A compounded medication free of these common allergens can be made in lieu of the many allergic considerations patients exhibit.

7. Affordability

Many patients must have their medications compounded due to medically necessary reasons. Sourcing the active ingredients and factoring in labor can make some compounded medications rather expensive. As an added expense, patients often don’t live near a compounding pharmacy and must have their medication shipped. Many practitioners adjust doses from month to month. These factors can add up to make for expensive medication costs.

However, after the dose has been stabilized, practitioners will often allow for larger quantities of compounded medication and opt to combine therapies. Did you know many compounding pharmacies offer steep discounts for compounded medications when picking up three month and six-month supplies? Shipping costs are often waived for larger orders. Many medications can be combined into one prescription reducing costs in a staggering fashion. For example, many women take up to five different bioidentical hormone prescriptions that can be combined into a single prescription. Working with your compounding pharmacy and practitioner, compounded medications can be made very affordable.

Now You Know About Compounding Pharmacies

Compounding pharmacies work directly with practitioners to make the unique drug formulations that patients often need to achieve optimal results, avoid complications and improve outcomes. This makes it is easier for patients throughout the greater Houston Metro area and the whole state of Texas for that matter, who needs personalized medication obtain the therapy they need. Compounding pharmacies provide specialized, individualized medications made from scratch through cutting edge technology, formal training and years of experience not available from standard pharmacies.

Compounding is an important alternative for patients who do not have their needs met by traditional commercially available medications. It provides options for individualized medication solutions.

Are you ready to learn more about compounding pharmacies and its benefits? Please visit read our other blog posts to find out more surprising facts about compounding pharmacies.