Answers to common questions

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, compounding's 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.