Estela Arco: Can All Pharmacies Compound Medications?
When it comes to meeting some unique patient needs, compounding medications always stand as an unparalleled solution. With the ability to tailor-make medications that cater to individual patient requirements, compounding truly is a great boon to the healthcare industry. But, here’s the question that often bubble-up: can all pharmacies compound medications? Estela Arco will discuss this matter of compounding medications in detail.
Understanding Compounding
Compounding refers to the specific medical process, which allows pharmacists to create custom medications. These healthcare pros can do this by mixing, altering, or combining pharmaceutical ingredients. This not only offers customized medicines for unique patient needs but also bridges various therapeutic gaps created by commercial medicines.
Compounding Pharmacies vs. Regular Pharmacies: What’s the Twist?
The ability to compound medications greatly depends on the type of pharmacy, as well as its level of sophistication. Remember that not all pharmacies are equipped to carry out compounding. That’s because the said process requires specialized resources, personnel, and medical training.
Most regular pharmacies or retail pharmacies offer some level of simple compounding. This includes mixing a powder with a liquid or changing tablets into a liquid form. However, they usually do not engage in complex compounding practices done by renowned pharmacists. That’s because of their lack of necessary facilities and, in some cases, the jurisdiction’s regulatory restrictions.
True Compounding Pharmacies
There are true compounding pharmacies, which are capable of doing much more in the said medical process. They have a dedicated compounding area and high-tech compounding equipment.
They also have specially trained personnel to undertake a wider range of compounding activities. They can also customize doses and make drugs not commercially available. They can also combine multiple medications into a single dosage, or create medication forms that are easier to administer.
The Drug Regulatory Landscape For Compounding
In conclusion, the practice of compounding is strictly regulated by both state and federal laws. There is also an oversight typically provided by the state board of pharmacy. In the USA, for instance, pharmacies that engage in sterile compounding must also adhere to the federal standards, which are outlined by Estela Arco the USP Chapter <797>.