The basis of the profession of pharmacy has always been the “triad,” the patient-physician-pharmacist relationship. Through this relationship, patient needs are determined by a physician, who chooses a treatment regimen that may include a compounded medication. Physicians often prescribe compounded medications for reasons that include (but are not limited to) the following situations:
- When medications are discontinued by or generally unavailable from pharmaceutical companies, often because the medications are no longer profitable to manufacture;
- When the patient is allergic to certain preservatives, dyes or binders in available off-the-shelf medications;
- When treatment requires tailored dosage-strengths for patients with unique needs (for example, infants);
- When a pharmacist can combine several medications the patient is taking to improve compliance;
- When the patient cannot utilize the medication in its commercially available form and a pharmacist can prepare the medication in a cream, liquid or other form that the patient can easily take; and
- When medications require flavor additives to make them more palatable for some patients, most often children.
Learn how to talk to your doctor about compounded medications
We've recently published information about how to talk to your doctor about compounded medications. It is a downloadable booklet from our website. In it, you will get a comprehensive overview of
- What compounding is and how it may help you
- When compounding is appropriate
- How to start a conversation with your doctor about compounded medications
- How to choose the compounding pharmacy that's right for you
Your copy of Talk to your doctor about compounded medications from Wedgewood Pharmacy is now available for download.
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Renee Lupo, R.Ph., F.A.C.A.
Technical-Services Pharmacist |
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About Renee Lupo
Renee Lupo, R. Ph, F.A.C.A., F.A.C.V.P., technical-services pharmacist for Wedgewood Pharmacy, was the company's lead technical/clinical pharmacist, working with prescribers and their staffs to develop custom formulations. She passed away on May 31, 2012, after a brief illness. A scholarship was established in her name at the University of the Sciences.
Disclaimers:
The views expressed on this blog are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Wedgewood Pharmacy.
Medications compounded by Wedgewood Pharmacy are prepared at the direction of a veterinarian. Many compounded preparations are commonly prescribed, and supported by literature, to treat particular disease states, but you should always consult your veterinarian before taking or administering any compounded medication. Wedgewood Pharmacy does not make claims for the efficacy of its compounded preparations.