Compounding – what is it?
In drug compounding, ingredients are combined, mixed, or altered to create a medication customised to patient needs. The process of compounding involves combining two or more drugs.
The compounding of drugs is a way to treat patients who cannot be treated with FDA-approved medications. For example, patients with allergies to particular dyes may need medication that is free from that dye, or elderly patients or children who cannot swallow tablets or capsules need a liquid dosage of medication. Practitioners in hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities sometimes provide compounded drugs to patients when an FDA-approved drug is not medically appropriate to treat them. Therefore, compounding can serve important patient needs in these situations.
[pharmacy] can create custom medications from base ingredients for patients. Instead of providing a pre-mixed formula, a we combine base drugs and prepare them to fit the individual patient’s needs. The dosage can also be adjusted to create the perfect dose for your medical condition, as well as your height, weight, gender, and age. In turn, the precise dosage is more likely to decrease the occurence of side effects from medication while treating your condition.
When you choose to use compounded drugs, you can choose the form your medication comes in, including liquid, powder, capsule, cream, or ointment.