vitamins, tablets and pills on green leaf
The term ‘specialized medicines’ has become synonymous with ‘compounding pharmacy’. Pharmaceutical compounding—the process of mixing or combining ingredients to provide customized medicines to meet a patient’s unique needs—can be very important in certain situations and downright crucial in others. If you’re wondering if you might ever need the services of a compounding pharmacy, consider the important applications of this process.
Compounding has Numerous Uses and Applications
The process of compounding medicines has been used for many years, and was once the only way medications were provided. Over time, the streamlining of medication production and advent of commercial pharmacies meant that products began to be produced for the masses, with no or few variations for the individual.
Today, with the proliferation of standardized medical products and pharmacies, the popularity of compounding pharmacies has been revived, as more and more people realize the benefits of ordering medicines designed to meet the needs of the individual. Here are four common instances of when to choose a compounding pharmacy over a commercial one.
1. The Medication Is Not Available in a Regular Pharmacy
Sometimes you can’t find a particular medicine in commercial pharmacies. Not all medicines prescribed by a doctor are available commercially and, sometimes, the medicine you’ve been taking for a long time is discontinues because pharmaceutical companies usually stop manufacturing a medication that is no longer deemed profitable.
A compounding pharmacy can offer you the medication you need by analyzing and re-creating it using the same active ingredients. With their help, you can still use the medicine you need even when it’s no longer sold in regular pharmacies.
2. Allergic Reactions can be Induced by Commonly Used Ingredients
When you are allergic to inactive ingredients commonly used in medicines, you need help. Are you allergic to lactose, gluten, sugar, preservatives or dyes? If your answer is ‘yes,’ then using regular medicines might be a problem for you since these ingredients are commonly used in many pharmaceutical products.
There is no need to worry however, because a compounding pharmacist can offer you the same medicine omitting the allergy-causing ingredients.
3. Irregular Dosages or Delivery Systems are Needed
If and when you need a medicine in an uncommon dosage or via a different delivery system, it may not be available commercially and you need a compounding pharmacy to provide it. For example, if you find it difficult to swallow a pill and you prefer to take your medicine in liquid form but that form is not available in a regular pharmacy, you can ask a compounding pharmacist to make it up for you. If you need a medication to be in a topical form like a gel or cream to be applied on the skin, a compounding pharmacist can also help with that.
4. Unpleasant Tastes Can be Overcome
When your child won’t take a medicine because of its taste, it can be very difficult to administer it. Children hate the taste of many medications, but they’re not the only ones. Elderly patients, pets and even some finicky adults will avoid taking certain medications because of the taste!
It’s a good thing that compounding pharmacies can create medications in more palatable flavors without sacrificing quality or effectiveness. Some compounding pharmacies can even make some medicines look like lollipops. You’ll never have a hard time making your child take his lollipop-medicine!
A compounding pharmacy helps people by creating medications personalized to meet their individual needs. Whenever you need a medication in a different flavor or dosage or delivery system, or without allergy-inducing ingredients, don’t hesitate to use the services of a reliable local compounding pharmacy. It’s the perfect solution.
Patients: The compounded medications are available by prescription only. Please discuss it with your physician, or contact us with your physician’s name and contact information, and we can supply him or her with additional information.
Doctors: Contact us today to speak with our pharmacists to discuss other combinations that may be available to improve your patient’s symptoms and increase medication compliance.