What is Compounding?

Compounding is the art and science of preparing customized dosage forms and products that are not commercially available. This gives a tremendous amount of flexibility for the physician to select the best therapy and route of administration for his/her patients. A compounding pharmacy provides a customized treatment for a specific patient for a specific disease, for those as serious as cancer, or even as simple as sinus problems. A compounded regimen can include taking a medication and dispensing it in a form that is not usually dispensed for this medication. Examples of such are liquids, capsules, suppositories, troches, or transdermal forms. A compounding pharmacy also can customize and dispense medications, which are no longer commercially available. Compounding enables physicians to prescribe medications in dosage strengths not manufactured commercially. Through compounding, the pharmacist can customize medications to meet a particular patient's requirements such as sugar-free, corn free, gluten free, lactose free, preservative free, and flavored to the patients' choice. As well, the compounding pharmacist can add inactive ingredients to certain side effects. Compounding pharmacies have their own labs where they compound medication as prescribed by a physician. The distinctive methods of delivery allow for more options for administration whether medication is administered orally or topically or inhaled through the sinus passages. The goal of compounded preparations is to provide a drug that fits the unique needs of a patient.

Why Would I Need Compounded Preparations?

Physicians may prescribe compounded medication for a patient with a unique health need. This can include patients having the need of medicines that require a certain dosage not available in regular mass produced forms. Some patients require allergen free medications, which can be provided by a compounding pharmacy. Pills can also be converted to liquid forms of medications for patients who have difficulties swallowing

In most situations, a compounding pharmacy will work directly with you and your physician to solve medication dosage and administration problems. Examples include the preparation of alcohol, casein, gluten, dye and preservative free formulations of almost any ingredient commercially available such as eye drops, oral liquids/suspensions, sinus agents, creams or capsules and tablets.

Other services a compounding pharmacy can offer include extending the duration of action of medication like sustained release, specific applications to small areas rather than systemic (whole body) absorption to avoid unwanted side effects, and change a route of administration that is not commercially available like a sinus spray or liquid suspension or sterile injection.

Compounded preparations offer unique products that are not commercially available, such as bio-identical (natural) hormone replacement therapy, pain management and/or veterinary dosage forms.

Another reason to consider compounded preparations is when commercial dosage forms are back-ordered, unavailable or simply discontinued by the manufacturer. Compounding pharmacies have the ability to obtain the raw chemical and formulate it into an ideal dosage form much like the commercially available product.

How Do I Obtain a Compounded Preparation?

In most cases, compounded preparations require a prescription from a licensed physician or practitioner. Your physician or practitioner can simply call, mail or fax in your prescription to the pharmacy for immediate compounding. If your physician/practitioner needs more information or consultation regarding a product or possible dosage forms, qualified compounding pharmacists are available to consult.