What are the reasons for compounding?
• Physician’s desire for a specific drug and dosage not commercially available
• Desire for Natural (non-synthetic) product
• Commercial available form difficult to ingest or use
• Allergy to preservatives or dyes in commercially available drugs
• Taste of medication in not palatable
• Discontinued products

What is custom compounding?
A custom compound is a prescription a pharmacist prepares from pure, pharmaceutical-grade raw materials, in accordance with a doctor’s specifications for an individual patient’s needs. Custom compounding is experiencing a rebirth for a variety of reasons. For example, a compounded medication could be made for drugs that are no longer commercially available, for drugs that are not longer developed by the pharmaceutical industry for economic reasons, for drugs with poor stability, and to compensate for drug shortages.

Is compounding safe? Is it legal?
Compounding has been a part of health care since the origins of pharmacy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that compounded prescriptions are both ethical and legal as long as they are prescribed by a licensed practitioner. It is used widely 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. Some of the compounded prescriptions are bio-identical natural hormones that produce to same chemical reaction as your natural hormones.

Is compounding expensive?
The cost of compounding depends on the type of dosage form and equipment required, plus the time spent researching and preparing the medication. It may or may not cost more than a commercially available medication. Fortunately, compounding pharmacists have access to pure-grade quality chemicals that can dramatically lower the overall costs.

Can any pharmacy compound?
Preparation of these custom medications requires chemicals and specialized equipment not available in most pharmacies. Medic’s Compounding pharmacists have also received additional training in compounding techniques. We work with a support network involving Ph.D. chemists and research pharmacists to exchange ideas, innovations and new techniques.

Does my doctor know about compounding?
Some may not realize the extent of compounding’s resurgence in recent years. However, prescription compounding is a rapidly growing component of many physicians’ practices. Ask your physician about compounding and get in touch with Medic’s Compounding Pharmacy to find out what can be done to meet your prescription needs.