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Compounding pharmacy of old--the alchemist!
Before World War II, about 60 percent of medications in the United States were compounded by pharmacists. When mass production of pharmaceuticals took hold in the 1950s and 1960s, it quickly overshadowed compounding pharmacy practices. But in recent years, compounding pharmacies have made a comeback.
What are compounding pharmacies?
Compounding pharmacies provide medications that are formulated to meet the specific needs of individual patients—a custom-made prescription, if you will. To get a prescription compounded, a health-care provider must write a valid prescription and determine that his or her patient needs the drug in a form not normally available or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
For example, if your child needs to take prescription that is normally dispensed as a pill and he or she has difficulty swallowing tablets or capsules, a compounding pharmacist can prepare a liquid or powder form for you. Often, pharmacists can also add flavoring that makes the medication easier to take.
The popularity of compounding pharmacies has been growing in recent years, as more and more people find that conventional medications do not fit their needs. Here are some reasons people are turning to compounded pharmacies.
- Why use a compounding pharmacy?
- Many women and men are turning to compounding pharmacies for bio-identical hormones. Bio-identical hormones are those that mimic the biochemistry and function of hormones produced naturally by the body. As more and more research indicates that synthetic hormones (e.g., Premarin, which is derived from horse urine) are associated with dangerous side effects, an increasing number of physicians are prescribing bio-identical hormones.
- If you are allergic to any of the preservatives, dyes, or other additives that are part of many medications, you can turn to a compounding pharmacy.
- Elderly patients often cannot swallow pills or capsules, so compounding pharmacists can prepare liquid or powder forms for such individuals.
- Your doctor may prescribe a medication at a strength that is not made by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Compounding pharmacies can formulate the medication for you.
- Compounding pharmacists can formulate medications for pets. They can also make pet medications more palatable by adding flavors pets enjoy.
Where to find a compounding pharmacy
The Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board and HealthWorld online both offer a list of compounding pharmacies across the United States. You can also access a list of compounding pharmacies in the Phoenix area and across Arizona.
As with any medication, if you encounter any problems when taking a drug, you should contact your physician. You can also contact the Food and Drug Administration’s FDA MedWatch to file a complaint.
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