| If you have never heard of a compounding | | | | usually sold in the form of a pill, it might not be useful |
| pharmacy, it may be for one of two reasons. It may | | | | for a person with a disability who could not swallow |
| be because you have always used pre-packaged | | | | pills to buy that drug in a liquid or gel form. The |
| medications, or it may be because you are familiar | | | | pharmacist could then make up the formula in a |
| with the concept but not the name. It is really very | | | | transdermal gel so that it could be easily used by |
| easy to understand. | | | | anyone. |
| A compounding pharmacy is one in which medications | | | | Some pharmacists also make simple compounded |
| or treatments are made to order, right in the | | | | medications. They add flavors to cough syrups or |
| pharmacy. At one time, all pharmacies compounded | | | | other medications making them more acceptable for |
| their own medications. There was no mass | | | | children. This encourages the youngsters to take their |
| manufacturing system to dispense pills in neat little | | | | medicine. |
| bottles. | | | | Compounding pharmacies in pharmaceutical research |
| There are a number of reasons why you or your | | | | companies make up the drugs that are to be tested. |
| doctor might want a specific mixture concocted just | | | | They follow the formulae given to them by the |
| for you. The compounding pharmacist will follow the | | | | scientists in order to make enough of the drug to |
| directives of a doctor in mixing the ingredients. | | | | conduct the research. Their role is crucial in drug |
| Sometimes, patients need a very small dose of a | | | | development. |
| drug. For example, a person might be very sensitive | | | | One of the most well-known functions of |
| to the drug or have a very small body, like as an | | | | compounding pharmacies that is often discussed in |
| infant. A compounding pharmacy provides a way for | | | | the news these days is the production of bio-identical |
| the drug to be given in the proper dose. | | | | hormones. These are hormones are made from |
| People with severe allergies may also have a difficult | | | | natural plant sources and are usually used by many |
| time finding medications that they can tolerate. For | | | | women instead of taking synthetic hormone |
| example, if they are allergic to wheat gluten, colored | | | | replacement therapy. |
| dyes, or other ingredients that are often found in | | | | A compounding pharmacy can make many kinds of |
| pharmacy prescriptions, the compounding pharmacist | | | | treatments available for all kinds of people. It can |
| can make up the medication using the important | | | | serve people with special needs and those who |
| ingredients but leaving out the unnecessary additives. | | | | demand something a little different from what other |
| Another job that a compounding pharmacy is used to | | | | pharmacies offer. If you need an uncommon form of |
| handling is making a medication in a different form | | | | a common medication, a compounding pharmacy is |
| than it usually comes in. For example, if a drug is | | | | the place to go. |