What Is Compounding

Before medications were mass-produced, compounding was the primary way of creating prescription drugs. Compounding is the art and science of creating personalized medicine through the process of mixing one or more drugs into a custom dosage. It all starts with a problem: the child who can’t swallow pills, the patient with a gluten allergy, the much-needed drug that’s in short supply. For whatever reason, many people aren’t served by mass-produced medications. A compounding pharmacy is able to provide a solution.

That’s where compounding pharmacies come in. Special flavorings, unique dosage forms, innovative delivery methods – using these tools and more, compounding pharmacies work with prescribers to fill a gap in health care through customized solutions for specific patient needs. Compounding is a great option to explore for people who:

• Have allergies to common mass-produced medicine fillers (casein, gluten, dyes, etc.)

• Aren’t taking medication as prescribed due to unpleasant side effects or lack of improvement

• Need custom medicine strengths and dosage forms (like creams or suppositories)

For patients, compounding can be life-changing, even lifesaving. And, it’s highly rewarding for compounding pharmacists and practitioners, helping them solve some of health care’s toughest challenges.