Is There An Alternative To Pills?
About 66% of Americans take some form of prescription medication. These staggering numbers mean millions of people take pills every day. For some, a tablet can be hard to swallow because of fear, age, or conditions like dysphagia. And that’s not all. Some drugs contain ingredients that are unsafe. To address these issues, a compounding pharmacy may be the solution.
What is compounding anyway?
Pharmacists do more than sell medication. Each has the knowledge to tell how drugs can affect the body. Furthermore, pharmacists can combine drugs to create new formulations through a process called compounding. Because of the demand for medication, compounding is not widely used. Pharmaceutical companies create standard drugs in mass. But there are some drawbacks. Compound pharmacies are starting to grow in popularity again, with the market exceeding $9.5 billion in 2019.
The right form for the right patient
What makes compounding so powerful is the ability to create drugs in different forms. Does a patient have trouble swallowing pills? The pharmacist can prepare and mix the same medicine in a liquid, spray, suppository, or topical form. Compounding is excellent for young children or elderly persons who need an easy way to ingest the medication. The pharmacist can also add flavors and remove dyes to make the drug more accessible.
All of what you need and none of what you don’t
Difficulty swallowing the pill is not the only concern of some patients. Standard prescription or over-the-counter drugs can contain ingredients that can trigger allergies or indigestion. Lactose, gelatin, preservatives, and dyes are typical examples of allergens. Compounding can both reduce medication strength and remove unwanted ingredients. More importantly, the harmful components do not combine with other prescription medications.
Meeting the demand for medication
In specific cases, the particular combination of drugs may not be on the market anymore. A pharmaceutical company may discontinue the drug due to low demand. Since a local pharmacy will be unable to dispense the medication, the patient can turn to compounding. The compound pharmacy can create the drug, or an off-label version, to meet individual demands.
How a compounding pharmacist can help
If a doctor prescribes medication, the patient should talk about any allergies or difficulties with pills. From there, the doctor may suggest a compound pharmacy. The patient can locate one of the thousands of compound pharmacies located nationwide. These pharmacies take the extra time and education to make almost any medication. The compounding pharmacy will take the prescription and create the desired medicine.
Designed with you in mind
Pre-made medications in pill form can restrict some persons from access to much-needed relief. Babies, children, those with specific conditions, and even pets can benefit from compounding. The process can make the changes needed for patients with little hassle. Speak with a doctor about getting a prescription filled at a compound pharmacy.
