What Does It Mean To Compound Medication?
Modern medication provides vital care to millions of people around the globe. From diabetes and tachycardia to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic pain, prescription medications allow patients to live fulfilling, pain-free lives. Overlapping prescriptions and unknown fillers in medications can cause issues. Pharmacists create a customized drug to tailor the treatment to the patient’s needs. Compounded medication combines one or more drugs to cater to patients with intolerances to traditional prescriptions or medication fillers. To determine if compounded medications are needed, patients must share personal intolerances and current medications, as the pharmacist manages local supply and availability.
Getting around allergies
Many can benefit from compounded drugs. Customizing the formulation allows pharmacists to remove problematic ingredients, allowing for precise and made-to-fit care. Both young and older people often can’t swallow pills and may need to consume the medication in a liquid form, sometimes combined with ingredients that add flavor to boost palatability. Compounded medications allow pharmacists to change the form of drugs and minimize fillers, accommodating patients with specific needs.
Who’s your background?
Many pharmacies can compound medications on-site, but not every pharmacist has the certification. To properly develop solutions for patients on multiple medications, compound pharmacies must invest in personnel with lab experience. An experience-based understanding of formulation science is critical in developing, manufacturing, and testing chemical products and clinical solutions. Chemists inform decisions about quantities and combinations of active and inactive ingredients while incorporating science-based quality procedures and testing the drug’s clinical stability.
Life-saving solutions
About 11% of FDA-approved and marketed drugs, vaccines, and biological products exist in limited supply. In cases of shortages, compounded medications can fill this gap. When drugs are in national shortage, compounded medications allow rural hospitals to provide interim pharmaceutical care.
Saving lives with compounded medication
Patients with drug intolerances or an inability to swallow pills can receive the necessary, often life-saving medication with tailor-made treatments. Compounding pharmacies provide benefits to the communities by offering the option for treatment when supplies are low or specific elements are needed. While compounded medications should not be the first line of defense in a treatment plan, customized doses offer vital care to patients with unique medical needs.
