Compounding

What is “Prescription Compounding” or “Pharmacy Compounding”?

Compounding is the pharmaceutical science of making a medication that is compatible with the needs of an individual patient.

In this day and age most medications are mass produced; that is they are made in bulk by large pharmaceutical companies for thousands of people. In many instances mass produced medications will work just fine. However, in some instances a mass produced medication will not work or be tolerated. Something about the medication is not compatible with a patient’s unique physiological makeup.

Compounding allows a specially trained pharmacist to tailor a medication to a specific patients needs.

A compounding pharmacist uses raw chemical powders, liquids, and special equipment to make each medication, one at a time. This results in a customized medication made by a pharmacist, according to a doctor's directions.

Neighbor Care Pharmacy - Expanding Physician Treatment Options via Compounding

We can expand your treatment by formulating creative, individualized, compounded medications that can improve compliance, maximize the potential for therapeutic success, and reduce the overall cost of pharmaceutical care. There are many cases where compounding can benefit the patient; here are some of the most common:

• The patient requires a customized dose of a medication • The patient has difficulty taking a medication in its commercially available form • The patient needs a medicine that has been discontinued by the manufacturer • The patient is allergic to certain agents used to make a medication

Compounding Safe and Legal

Our compounding pharmacy must comply with the regulations set forth by the State Board of Pharmacy. The State Board of Pharmacy sets and enforces regulations for compounding, just as it does for traditional pharmacy. The ingredients used by our pharmacy to make compounds come from FDA-registered and inspected facilities.

We also follow all guidelines set forth by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) for compounding including:

• (795) Pharmaceutical Compounding—Nonsterile Preparations: This chapter provides guidance on applying good compounding practices in the preparation of nonsterile compounded formulations for dispensing and/or administration to humans or animals.

• (1160) Pharmaceutical Calculations in Prescription Compounding: This chapter provides general guidance and assistance to pharmacists in performing the necessary calculations when preparing or compounding any pharmaceutical drug.

• (1163) Quality Assurance in Pharmaceutical Compounding: This chapter describes a quality assurance program as a system of steps and actions that must be taken to ensure the maintenance of proper standards in compounded preparations.

• (1176) Prescription Balances and Volumetric Apparatus: Provides information about acceptable balances and volumetric apparatus (i.e., burets, pipets, cylinders, conical graduates, medicine droppers) used to weigh or measure medicinal and other substances required in prescriptions or in other pharmaceutical compounding.

Do All Pharmacies Specialize in Compounding?

No. Compounding is practiced by pharmacists who have been specially trained in the science of compounding. Compounding requires specialized equipment as well, which many pharmacies do not have.

Neighbor Care Pharmacy - Your Trusted Compounding Resource!

Our pharmacists have received extensive training in compounding techniques and have access to a support network that generates a constant exchange of ideas and innovations. Neighbor Care Pharmacy accepts prescriptions from licensed prescribers via the phone, fax (some exceptions may apply), or hard copy. By law, we are not allowed to dispense any compounded medications without an authorized prescription from a licensed prescriber. We would be happy to speak with you regarding questions you may have about compounding or the prescribing process.