Before the 20th Century, the purpose of a pharmacy was to compound medications by combining one or more active pharmaceutical ingredients into a customized treatment for an individual patient’s needs. Very few pharmacies provide customized compound services these days. Without compounding pharmacies, the needs of patients who can’t have medication containing gluten, dairy, preservatives, or dyes would go unmet. Mass-produced commercial drugs do not account for these special needs.
A prescriber may recommend a drug be compounded for various reasons, one of which could be asking a pharmacist to make a discontinued pharmaceutical product in order to treat a patient with unique needs. Some useful medications are discontinued because they are no longer profitable for drug manufacturers. Some patients may need medication or nutritional supplements due to an allergy to certain types of preservatives, dyes, or binders. If the medication or supplement is unavailable without the allergy-inducing ingredient, a compounding pharmacist can compound that particular medication without it.
Compounding pharmacists can also create custom dosage forms or unique flavors for children and veterinary patients. In this age of increasing numbers of children with autism and Asperger syndrome, there is a large demand for customized pediatric formulations free from dyes, preservatives, gluten, and casein/dairy ingredients.
Compounding pharmacies can combine several medications into one dosage form. This is especially helpful for the elderly or patients who take multiple medications.
Some patients cannot take certain medications because they cause stomach upset or side effects like drowsiness or dizziness. Compounding pharmacists can prepare certain medications in a transdermal cream that can be applied topically. For patients in pain, many side effects can be avoided by simply applying a compounded topical pain cream that includes an anti-inflammatory medication like Ketoprofen. Gabapentin, Amitriptyline, and Lidocaine can be added for those with nerve pain as in the case of diabetic nerve pain.
If you want to ask us some questions about your medical pharmaceutical needs, call us today at 770-635-7697 or visit us online