Compounding Practices: Choosing The Best Pharmacy

A compounding pharmacy is one in which pharmacists mix, combine, or alter two or more drugs to meet a specific patient’s needs. This process is for people who, for health reasons, are unable to take an FDA-approved medication. For example, a patient who has an allergy to certain additives such as dyes and needs a special medication to be made without them.  Often young children are unable to swallow tablets and need a medication in liquid form. Compounding pharmacists can put medicines into creams, suppositories, special gels, and flavored liquids.

Accreditation by the PCAB

The Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) sets rigorous standards and give accreditation only to compound pharmacies that are in total compliance with these standards. A patient who chooses a PCAB accredited pharmacy can be certain that they are getting their medication from a reliable source. It also means that each time a compounded prescription is prepared, established protocols have been followed.

Pharmaceutical training

Before choosing a compound pharmacy, it’s a good idea to find out about the pharmacists and what type of qualifications they have. Ideally, they should have received compounding training and certification from a recognized center of training. Pharmacists should be able to research and develop compounding formulas.

Quality ingredients

A reputable compound pharmacy should be able to source medical chemicals of the highest quality and reliable potency. The pharmacy should work with suppliers who are known to deliver pure active ingredients. Furthermore, the pharmacy should have a Certificate of Analysis (CofA) for every substance they use in their compound medications.

Batch testing

Compound pharmacies must perform batch testing of their compounded prescriptions in order to ensure compliance and safety in all cases. Pharmacies have the option to perform batch testing in-house or with an external batch testing agency. This type of testing is rigorous and prevents any errors in mixing medications.