What is a compounding pharmacy?

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One of these opened up not too far from where I live, and a sign on the front said, "The area's only compounding pharmacy".

I know that Pharmacists used to compound their own drugs, but is this dying art or a new trend? Would new pharmacy graduates even know how to do this?

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Specializes in MDS coordinator, hospice, ortho/ neuro.

It's a pharmacy that can make special preparations themselves...not just sell prepackaged medications, we have one here that makes a topically applied cream with Ativan in it.

(They don't manufacture the drugs)

I think these used to be a lot more common in the 40s - 50s maybe ( I could be wrong) but I don't think they've ever been very common.

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hospices use these pharmacies all the time.

these type pharmacies customize formulations of drugs to an md's specs.

not a new trend at all.

possibly a dying art.

leslie

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
One of these opened up not too far from where I live, and a sign on the front said, "The area's only compounding pharmacy".

I know that Pharmacists used to compound their own drugs, but is this dying art or a new trend? Would new pharmacy graduates even know how to do this?

It is a pharmacy where at least some meds are compounded on site. When I was pregnant with my girls, I had low progesterone levels and had to have weekly blood work done. Based on the results of my labs, my OB would call in an order to the pharmacy for progesterone suppositories of a particular strength. I lived in suburban Philly at the time and had to drive about 35 miles to the only pharmacy in the area that would prepare the "custom" medication. I also recall years ago in L&D when we had a patient who required "cervical ripening" prior to an induction, our pharmacy would compound a specific dose of prostaglandin gel customized to the patient and OB orders.

Some medications are unstable if prepared too long in advance. Others aren't used in sufficient quantities to warrant "mass production", so this type of pharmacy can be a godsend.

On a side note, my grandpa graduated from pharmacy school in the 1920's, when it was a 2-year program. His state board exam lasted a number of days, and included being blindfolded and identifying medications by taste, smell and feel. Amazing how times have changed!

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
One of these opened up not too far from where I live, and a sign on the front said, "The area's only compounding pharmacy".

I know that Pharmacists used to compound their own drugs, but is this dying art or a new trend? Would new pharmacy graduates even know how to do this?

Many meds are still compounded. In oncology, we use something called "magic mouthwash" (goes by a variety of names) to treat mucositis. It has to be mixed.

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Our compounding pharmacist mixes Tapizole in a cream so I can rub it inside the ears of my kitty cats! :chuckle

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

In these days of big-box pharmacies, the compounding pharmacies are very few and far between. I don't know how common it used to be but it does look to be at least a fading art given that so many new pharmacists end up counting pills at Wal-Mart et. al.

Interesting side note: Some of you might recall a few months back when the gray whale mother and calf swam up the Sacramento delta for a few weeks. They were treated with antibiotics prepared by an old guy at one of the few compounding pharmacies in this region.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

When I worked in a hospital pharmacy as a technician we did alot of compounding for NICU and PICU. Obviously they used a more dilute form of adult medications, but when they were discharged the parents would have a hard time finding pharmacy's willing to compound the medications. Example Decadron was either diluted down to 1mg/ml or 0.2mg/ml oral solution, which is only available from pharmacy's that are willing to do this type of compounding. It was mind boggling as to how many adult drugs are used on NICU and PICU patients, but just diluted down to a minute mg/ml. So anyway I'm guessing this is what this pharmacy is about.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I've seen the number of compounding pharmacies increase in my city in the past few years. I thought they were becoming more popular due to the increase in women wanting bio-identical hormones.

That's why I use a compounding pharmacy. I get my micronized progesterone troches there.

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I love compounding pharmacies because of lollipops. :rolleyes: When I had my tonsils and adenoids removed my MD prescribed tetracaine lollipops (as well as various other liquid meds) that made my pain bearable for two weeks. My brother had the same surgery and had multiple infections secondary to not being able to drink his antibiotics due to the pain, no lollipops. I never knew what a compounding pharm was either until then, once again, thank god for them.

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Compounding Pharmacies are worth their weight in gold, especially when it comes to Hospice care. We use suppositories that are compounded with 4 medications. Benefits the patient without having to take 4 different meds. The benefits are amazing.

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