FAQ – Compounding Pharmacy

Pharmaceutical compounding is the process of custom-mixing a medication or drug for individual requirements. In this practice, ingredients are mixed together to create the final product.

Pharmaceutical compounding can also be used to create drugs tailored to specific needs or patient characteristics (e.g., a drug that only works for women).

When it comes to compounded medication, the FDA does not allow a pharmacist to create a prescription for any drug that has never been approved by the FDA. When choosing a compounded drug, it is important to note that there are two forms of them: sterile and non-sterile. Sterile compounds are made in a clean environment with no risk for contamination while non-sterile compounds may have traces of bacteria or fungi which can cause side effects or toxicity. Superior Compounding Pharmacyis a sterile ACHA, PCCA and PCAB Accredited compounding pharmacy. Are pharmacy in Plymouth Michigan also makes products that have been on the market for many years but are no longer available in stores and must be procured through other means.

Prescriptions of various types can be compounded. They are usually for medications used to treat certain conditions, such as pain relief or depression.

Common types of prescriptions that can be compounded are:

Antidepressants, blood pressure medications, anti-anxiety drugs and pain relievers.

Compounded Prescriptions for Adults

Your pharmacist can compound many medicines prescribed for adults.

Bio-Identical Hormones

Bio-identical hormones are providing relief for women and men from symptoms of negative mood. These are medications that cannot be delivered through manufactured pharmaceutical drugs. As a result, your pharmacist hands create them each time they are ordered to be taken.

Hormone levels and their changes are correlated to a variety of factors, primarily because they are so varied. One example is sleep patterns and sleep deprivation. Compounding helps you better meet your hormonal needs by having for instance, an artificial reduction of testosterone that will put you into a less masculine state over time

Diabetes Medication

Metformin can be compounded in a transdermal ointment, which may have some health benefits for people with diabetes. If you do not take pills, this may help you avoid some of the adverse effects of taking Metformin in pill form.

Blood Pressure Medication

Blood-pressure medications like Lisinopril, Losartan, and Amlodipine are made by compounding pharmacists in pill form. However, tablets can then be ground into powder to dissolve in liquids like juice when a person forgets to crush the pills. One example of common prescribed medicines for cholesterol is Atorvastatin.

Common Compounded Prescriptions

Antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, allergy medications, and antibiotics are also common items that folks will have to take from time to time.

Pain medications can be dangerous when administered incorrectly or in an unsafe dosage. They’re compounded by pharmacists to remove any potential side effects and risk.

Your pharmacist can compound products that fight aging and help you take care of your skin based on your specific needs. The most common examples of these are cosmeceuticals, which incorporate additional vitamins and other supplements into a cream or liquid form.

Compounded Prescriptions for Children

Some common compound prescriptions are made for children.

Antibiotics

It’s normal for children to get sick. When they do, doctors often prescribe antibiotics like Amoxycillin. It’s not easy for some children to have a pill form of this antibiotic because they don’t like taking pills, but compounding pharmacies can offer the liquid form that is easier to take.

Other commonly prescribed/compounded antibiotics of note in this category include azithromycin, cephalexin, and ciprofloxacin. They have an antibiotic and steroid component.

Steroids

Prednisone and fluticasone can be compounded to fit specific needs and diseases. These are a few examples of what can be made at the pharmacy, but there are many more different formulas available (e.g. Singulair). Taking liquid doses and nasal sprays for illness is becoming more prominent as a viable alternative to swallowing pills. They are easy on the stomach, safe if the child vomits, & many families prefer them because of their convenience.

Other Compounding Options

Additionally, commonly prescribed ADHD medications like Adderall and Ritalin, pain medicines like Hydro codeine, and cough medicines like dextromethorphan can be compounded.

Compounded Prescriptions for Pets

Many people know that your pet deserves the same kind of care as their human loved ones. You can respect this by giving them medications that are easy for them to digest and deal well with, as most veterinarians recommend custom compounding over commercially produced prescriptions.

Common examples of pet drugs for humans include antibiotics, like doxycycline, which can treat many types of bacterial infections. Patients with Lyme disease may be prescribed doxycycline and patients with allergies may be treated with Famotidine.

Dogs and cats sometimes require medications. Doxycycline, mentioned above, is one of the most common medications for dogs. Other common medicines are:

• Prednisone for inflammation

• Sucralfate is a medication prescribed to treat ulcers but it can also relieve symptoms in other cases such as sour stomachs or indigestion.

• Tramadol for pain problems

• Hydrogen peroxide in emergency injuries

Please callSuperior Compounding Pharmacy in Plymouth Michigan to speak with one of our licensed pharmacists today at 734-404-6065. We can help answer any medication questions that you may have.

The pharmacy compounding process typically begins when a physician writes a prescription for medication that has not been commercially produced and is not commercially available for sale. The pharmacist would then research the possible medications that might work for the patient’s condition and identify one or more that meet the physician’s criteria for safety, effectiveness, and pharmacokinetics (PK). The pharmacist may then refer to internal company policies to determine how many tablets or capsules should be compounded.

Safer alternatives to traditional medications are available with the help of compounding pharmacy. However, there are some people who think this is not a safe alternative.

Compounding pharmacy has come a long way since its inception in the 1800s in America. Compounding pharmacies have been around for over 140 years and have helped thousands of patients- even those with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Compounding pharmacies have one goal- to help people recover from health ailments more easily and quickly and without many complications. Some people may not be able to get these benefits from traditional medications because they don’t work well for them or they don’t agree with their side effects. That’s where compounding pharmacy comes in as an option.

Compounding pharmacy is safe becuase the pharmacist follows strict guidelines and regulations when measuring out medication doses. These guidelines include things like testing out the medication before dispensing it to make sure it is effective as well as ensuring that each container is tamper-evident.

The Food and Drug Administration has announced that compounded prescriptions are both ethical and legal as long as they are prescribed by a licensed practitioner for a specific patient or a compound pharmacy is responsible for preparing the medicine. In addition, compounding is regulated by state boards of pharmacy and the Drug Enforcement Act.

The question of what types of prescriptions are covered depends on your prescription coverage. Some plans cover 100% of pharmaceuticals, others pay a portion, and some plans do not cover this type of prescription at all.

For your compound medications, do check your plan’s drug formulary. Every health insurance provider has a list of definite prescriptions for which they will (or won’t) cover. If you need any help please call usat 734-404-6065.

We do accept most health insurance plans!

Compounding pharmacies are skilled at producing medications in small quantities and on demand, using their knowledge of chemistry and pharmacy practices. More importantly, they can compound medications without having to go through the FDA approval process. For these reasons, compounding pharmacies have been able to provide high quality prescriptions with low prices for decades.

Superior Compounding Pharmacy provides free local delivery of your prescriptions to you in Plymouth Michigan. We also provide discrete shipping in the states where we hold a pharmacy license. We are expanding our pharmacies to disperse prescriptions in other states, so please contact usat the pharmacy to find out which other states we currently service.