Compounding pharmacy

Compounding pharmacy is the process of mixing drugs by a pharmacist or physician to fit the unique needs of a patient. This may be done for medically necessary reasons, such as to change the form of the medication from a solid pill to a liquid, to avoid a non-essential ingredient that the patient is allergic to, or to obtain the exact dose needed. It may also be done for voluntary reasons, such as adding favorite flavors to a medication.

Uses

During research and development

Pharmaceutical compounding is a branch of pharmacy that continues to play the crucial role of drug development. Compounding pharmacists and medicinal chemists develop and test pharmaceutical formulations for new drugs so that the active ingredients are effective, stable, easy to use, and acceptable to patients.

In the community pharmacy

Physicians may prescribe an individually compounded medication for a patient with an unusual health need. This allows the physician to tailor a prescription to each individual. Compounding preparations are especially prevalent for:

• Patients requiring limited dosage strengths, such as a very small dose for infants
• Patients requiring a different dosage form, such as turning a pill into a liquid or transdermal gel for people who can't swallow pills due to disability
• Patients requiring an allergen-free medication, such as one without gluten or colored dyes
• Patients who need drugs that have been discontinued by pharmaceutical manufacturers because of low profitability
• Patients who are taking bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, specifically the Wiley Protocol
• Children who want flavored additives in liquid drugs, usually so that the medication tastes like candy or fruit
• Veterinary medicine, usually for a change in dose