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Q: What is Compounding?
 Pharmacy
compounding is the art and science of preparing customized
medications for patients. Its practice dates back to the origins
of pharmacy; yet, compoundings presence throughout the pharmacy
profession has changed over the years. In the 1930s and 1940s,
approximately 60 percent of all medications were compounded.
With the advent of drug manufacturing in the 1950s and 60's,
compounding rapidly declined. The pharmacist's role as a
preparer of medications quickly changed to that of a dispenser
of manufactured dosage forms. Within the last two decades,
though, compounding has experienced a resurgence, as modern
technology and innovative techniques and research have allowed
more pharmacists to customize medications to meet specific
patient needs. Today, an estimated one percent of all
prescriptions are compounded daily by pharmacists working
closely with physicians and their patients.
Q: How does compounding benefit
me?
 There
are several reasons why pharmacists compound prescription
medications. The most important one is what the medical
community calls "patient non-compliance." Many patients are
allergic to preservatives or dyes, or are sensitive to standard
drug strengths. With a physician's consent, a compounding
pharmacist can change the strength of a medication, alter its
form to make it easier for the patient to ingest, or add flavor
to it to make it more palatable. The pharmacist also can
prepare the medication using several unique delivery systems,
such as a sublingual troche or lozenge, a lollipop, or a
transdermal gel. Or, for those patients who are having a
difficult time swallowing a capsule, a compounding pharmacist
can make a suspension instead.
Q: What kind of prescriptions can
be compounded?
 Almost
any kind. Compounded prescriptions are ideal for any patient
requiring unique dosages and/or delivery devices, which can take
the form of solutions, suppositories, sprays, oral rinses,
lollipops and even as transdermal sticks. Compounding
applications can include: Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement
Therapy, Veterinary, Hospice, Pediatric, Dental, Dermatology,
Medication Flavoring, Chronic Pain Management, Neuropathies,
Sports Medicine, Infertility, Wound Therapy, Podiatry and
Gastroenterology.
Q: Will my insurance cover
compounded medications?
Because compounded medications are exempt by law from having the
National Drug Code ID numbers that manufactured products carry,
some insurance companies will not directly reimburse the
compounding pharmacy. However, almost every insurance plan allow
for the patient to be reimbursed by sending in claims forms.
While you may be paying a pharmacy directly for a compounded
prescription, most insurance plans should cover the final cost.
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