FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
What
is Compounding and What are its Benefits?
Pharmaceutical compounding is
the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients.
Its practice dates back to the origins of pharmacy; yet, compounding’s
presence in the pharmacy profession has changed over the years. In the
1930s and 1940s, approximately 60 percent of all medications were compounded.
With the advent of drug manufacturing in the 1950s and 1960s, compounding
rapidly declined. The pharmacist’s role as a preparer of medications
quickly changed to that of a dispenser of manufactured dosage forms.
Within the last two decades,
though, compounding has experienced resurgence as modern technology and
innovative techniques and research have allowed more pharmacists to customize
medications to meet specific patient needs.
There are several reasons
why pharmacists compound prescription medications. The most important
one is what the medical community calls “patient non-compliance.”
Many patients are allergic to preservatives or dyes, or are sensitive
to standard drug strengths. With a physician’s consent, a compounding
pharmacist can change the strength of a medication, alter its form to
make it easier for the patient to take, or add flavor to make it more
palatable. The pharmacist also can prepare the medication using several
unique delivery systems, such as a sublingual troche or lozenge, a lollipop,
or a transdermal gel or cream that can be absorbed through the skin. For
those patients who are having a hard time swallowing a capsule, a compounding
pharmacist can make a liquid suspension instead.
Can
Children or the Elderly use Compounded Medications?
Yes. Both children and the elderly
are often the types of patients who benefit most from compounding. Often,
parents have a tough time getting their children to take medicine because
of the taste. A compounding pharmacist can work directly with the physician
and the patient to select a flavoring agent, such as vanilla butternut
or tutti frutti, which provides both an appropriate match for the medication’s
properties and the patient’s taste preferences.
Compounding pharmacists
also have helped patients who are experiencing chronic pain. For example,
some arthritic patients cannot take certain medications due to gastrointestinal
side effects. Working with their physician’s prescription, a compounding
pharmacist can provide them with a topical preparation with the anti-inflammatory
or analgesic their doctor has prescribed for them. Compounded prescriptions
often are used for pain management in hospice care.
What
kind of Prescriptions can be Compounded?
Almost any kind. Compounded
prescriptions are ideal for any patient requiring unique dosages and/or
delivery devices, which can take the form of solutions, suppositories,
sprays, oral rinses, lollipops and even as transdermal creams. Compounding
applications can include: Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, Veterinary,
Hospice, Pediatric, Ophthalmic, Dental, Otic (for the ear), Dermatology, Chronic Pain Management, Neuropathies, Sports Medicine,
Infertility, Wound Therapy, Podiatry and Gastroenterology medications.
Is
Compounding Legal? Is it Safe?
Compounding has been part
of healthcare since the origins of pharmacy, and is widely used today
in all areas of the industry, from hospitals to nuclear medicine. Over
the last decade, compounding’s resurgence has largely benefited
from advances in technology, quality control and research methodology.
The Food and Drug Administration has stated that compounded prescriptions
are both ethical and legal as long as they are prescribed by a licensed
practitioner for a specific patient and compounded by a licensed pharmacy.
In addition, compounding is regulated by state boards of pharmacy.
Are
Doctors Aware of Compounding?
Prescription compounding
is a rapidly growing component of many physicians’ practices. But
in today’s world of aggressive marketing by drug manufacturers,
some may not realize the extent of compounding’s reappearance in
recent years. Ask your physician about compounding. Then get in touch
with Compounding Specialists of Wyoming – our pharmacy is committed
to providing high-quality compounded medications in the dosage form and
strength prescribed by the physician.
Will
my Insurance cover Compounded Medications?
Because compounded medications
are exempt by law from having the National Drug Code ID numbers that manufactured
products carry, some insurance companies will not directly reimburse the
compounding pharmacy. However, almost every insurance plan allows for
the patient to be reimbursed by sending in claim forms. While you may be
paying the pharmacy directly for a compounded prescription, most insurance
plans should cover the final cost.
Are Compounded Medications Expensive?
Compounding may, or may
not cost more than a commercially manufactured medication. Its cost depends on the
type of dosage form and equipment required, plus the time spent researching
and preparing the medication. Fortunately, compounding pharmacists have
access to pure-grade quality chemicals which dramatically lower overall
costs and allow them to be very competitive with commercially manufactured
products. |
