What is a compounding pharmacy?

From over-the-counter products, to vaccines and hygiene products, to specialty and  generic drugs, a compounding pharmacy has the products you need and in the  quantities you need.  

A compounding pharmacy offers a wide selection of medications that are available at  affordable prices for all kinds of health situations. In Canada, there are over 47,000  brand name, generic and over-the-counter medications. 

Compounding pharmacy VS retail pharmacy: 

• Higher cost of health care (for patients and employees) 

• Retail pharmacies do not have certain amenities that only compounding  pharmacies have, the relationship is quickly established between you, the customer, and the pharmacist. 

Why Choose Compounding Drugs?

There are many benefits of compounding drugs. Here are a few.

Customized ingredients: Pharmacists can modify the ingredients of a medication for any patient that is intolerant to certain additives, or if they have allergies to some of the components in the medication. 

Changing the Form of the Medication: Compounding chemists can turn pills into liquid to make it easier to take depending on the needs of a patient. 

Customized strength and dosage: It is possible to lower the dosage for children or increase for adults or older persons depending on what is needed. Some patients require a particular non-essential ingredient to be removed from their medication in order to prevent allergic reactions. 

Compounding pharmacies provide medications obtained by prescription from a physician. It is a reliable way to get customized medications. They are individualized for the patient and are not given in a set or predetermined dose as are commercial  medications. Some compounded medications are not covered by insurance while others  are. It may be worthwhile to look into this and discuss it with your pharmacy and  insurance company.

Types of Compounding Pharmacies

Sterile: Sterile Compounding is used when the medication being created requires an injection through an IV or needs to be administered through the eye. This type of compounding requires a separate sterile room to avoid any risk of infection.

Non Sterile: Non-sterile compounding is the most common of the two. It refers to the production of pills, creams, lotions, ointments, gels, and more. Although these types of medications do not require a sterile room, they are processed with the utmost precision and standards.

Types of Compounds

Pain Management: There are people living with chronic pain. Although there are pain relievers available in the form of narcotics or medications, these could bring harmful side effects, which have been a cause for concern for many. Fortunately, advances have been made so that patients can now receive medications tailored to their particular needs to relieve their chronic pain. By using a number of options such as gels, sprays, capsules and others, painful conditions can be managed in a way that fits the individual needs of each patient.

Pediatrics: Every parent wants their child to take a medication that is easy to swallow and  tastes good to the child while being effective, and that is available in a child-friendly form with  the proper dosage for children, such as gummies, lozenges, pacifiers, and oral liquids. 

Dermatology: Many people suffer from skin problems such as rosacea, eczema, acne, psoriasis or certain cosmetic problems such as wrinkles. Many skincare products have been known to cause unpleasant side effects, such as redness, dry peeling, and irritation. The compounding pharmacy can tailor medications  to the patient's needs by carefully selecting the appropriate products with ingredients tailored to treat problems based on individual skin type. 

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Hormones play an important role in our overall health, including mood changes, hair and weight loss, and other related issues. There is also a common fluctuation that comes with age. Compounding allows each patient to receive a treatment that is completely customized to fit their needs and address any problems they may have, whereas commercially available medications are not able to address their specific problems. 

Geriatrics: Many elderly patients need to take several drugs at doses lower than what is  normally required for the middle-aged adult because as we age, conditions such as  dry mouth make it very difficult to ingest tablets and capsules. Compounding provides a solution to these problems by combining several drugs into one preparation, which in turn can be more convenient for the patient. Geriatric preparation solutions are available in many different  vehicles such as quick dissolving tablets, injections, suppositories, oral fluids and creams. 

To learn more about the compounding services procare pharmacies offer, clear here