The Right Medication Matters

For many people, medication plays a vital role in overall health. Millions of Americans struggle with chronic diseases that require medication to manage symptoms or assist with healing. Other people depend on supplements to increase energy and treat deficiencies. The demand for medicine has brought about the creation of large pharmaceutical companies that mass-produce drugs for general consumption. Yet, the evidence shows that medication is not a one-size-fits-all issue. The proper medication can significantly improve outcomes and be the difference between success and failure. There is now an intense need for personalized medicine, and compounding pharmacies are the solution to this problem.

What is a compounding pharmacy?

Before mass-produced medication was readily available, people who needed prescription drugs would visit a pharmacy for support. The pharmacist would learn about the patient’s symptoms and then create a custom solution. This is the concept of compounding. With compounding, the pharmacist makes a personalized medication using raw ingredients. Pharmacists are skilled in understanding each drug’s components and can recreate medicine or develop a brand-new formulation. Compounding can also involve combining multiple drugs or changing the medicine’s structure to meet the patient’s needs. The art of compounding lost popularity due to massive pharmaceutical corporations making generic drugs to meet patient’s demands. Now, personalized medicine is making a comeback and can be an essential part of the overall success of treatment.

Personalized medicine, perfect results

The compounding pharmacy can make a drug that is specific to the patient. Pharmacists understand medicines, dosages, and the drug’s efficacy. Some patients will need a specific dosage that is not on the market. Other individuals need medications that are no longer available, as many are discontinued over time. The compounding pharmacist can understand these needs and formulate a solution. As a result, the patient can enjoy reduced symptoms, better adherence, and improved health.

Saving lives with custom medicine

Compounding goes beyond meeting the demands of a specific drug. Some patients need medication in different forms. For instance, a child or adult may have trouble swallowing large pills. Compounding can change the form from solid to liquid or make a topical alternative. This simple change can be lifesaving for people who can’t treat a chronic condition without medicine. Compounding pharmacists have a range of options that go beyond pills or liquids. Creating a custom solution can take time, but has the ability to transform how an individual can treat a severe condition.

Avoiding pesky side effects

Mass-produced medicine often has standard ingredients for taste, packaging, color, and shelf life. However, some of these ingredients can be unpleasant for patients. For example, a patient may be allergic to dyes or preservatives. Other times, an ingredient in a medication can cause unwanted side effects when combined with another. Compounding can recreate the drugs without the harmful effects of inactive ingredients. By removing anything unnecessary, patients will have no trouble taking medication consistently.

Stick to your meds

The right medication is only effective if the patient can adhere to the dosage and frequency recommended by the doctor. However, a lack of medication adherence is often at the core of worsening symptoms. Some patients struggle with high dosages or medication forms. Other people take multiple medications and can sometimes forget to do so. With compounding, the pharmacy can create more straightforward options, such as consolidating medicines into a single use, adding flavors, or changing forms. These techniques significantly increase the odds of success.

Your personalized future

The need for personalized medicine will only continue to grow, and compounding will soon become the norm again. The future will bring about the integration of technology to make compounding faster and easier for pharmacists. Innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics will help pharmacists improve the efficiency and effectiveness of compounding. These changes may also encourage major pharmaceutical corporations to consider compounding to meet the personalized needs of patients.

Consider compounding as your go-to solution

Medicine that the pharmacist dispenses is often effective in reducing or stopping symptoms. However, more and more individuals need custom solutions or specific drug combinations that over-the-counter (OTC) options cannot fulfill. Whatever the reason, compounding now plays a significant role in the health and well-being of many patients. With a custom solution, many of the hurdles to taking and adhering to medication are wiped away.