Reasons to Use Compound Medication

Reasons to Use Compound Medication

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In the present age, the concept of compounding has taken a back seat with the rise of commercial pharmaceutical companies. Due to the easy availability of commercially-produced medication, people have forgotten compounding. There was a time when compounding was the primary source of getting the required medication.  But as the large pharmacies started mass-producing drugs using the standard formulation, the demand for compounding declined. However, compounding pharmacies are making a comeback and have become a significant part of the healthcare system.

Compounding is the process of creating tailored medications by combining raw ingredients to meet the specific needs of individual patients. Pharmacists along with physicians can compound medications based on the patient’s needs. It means that drugs available in retail pharmacies aren’t the only option. You can get customized formulas that are especially created to meet your unique health condition.

Who Needs Compound Medication?

Compounding involves changing the dose, removing ingredients, or adding flavor to make medicine more effective, safe, and palatable. This service is offered by specialized pharmacies that have licensed pharmacists to customize formulations under the supervision of physicians. Now, you may wonder why get customized medication when you can easily get drugs at the nearest stores. It’s true that not everyone needs compound medication. Here are some reasons why you might need customized medication prepared by a compound pharmacy.

1.      Allergy-Free Medicines

Compounding can eliminate non-essential ingredients that can have allergic reactions. Commercially-manufactured medicines have many ingredients that may cause allergies such as dyes, preservatives, lactose, or gluten. If you’re allergic to any such non-essential ingredient, your doctor could prescribe compound medication. A licensed pharmacist can reformulate your medication without allergy-causing ingredients to ensure that you only get the benefits of your medication without unwanted allergic reactions.

2.      Customize Dosage

Mass-produced drugs are made using standard formulations in the most commonly prescribed sizes and dosages. Sometimes, doctors prescribe medication in a dosage that is not commercially available. For example, a child may only need 10mg of a certain drug that is only available commercially at 30 mg. In this case, it can be tricky to break the medicine to get desired dosage amount. A compounding pharmacy can adjust the dosage to ensure that you get the exact amount as needed. It not only makes dosage amount safe but also saves money because you don’t need to pay for a larger dosage that you don’t even need.

3.      Change The Mode Of Delivery

A commercially produced medication in its given form may not be convenient for you. Whether you have difficulty swallowing pills, or there’s another reason why you need an alternative, a compounding pharmacy can change the form of your medication. A compound pharmacist can create the same formulations in a variety of forms, including pills, drops, powders, and ointments.

4.      Better-Tasting Medicine

It’s not easy to consume bitter-tasting syrups and medicines that taste bad. People, particularly children, refuse to take their medicine if it tastes awful. In this situation, a pharmacist can improve the taste of your prescription medication by adding flavors.

5.      Create Discontinued Medication

Compounding pharmacies can help you get access to medications that have been discontinued. Large pharmaceutical companies frequently stop producing specific drugs. This makes it difficult for people who still require these medications to fill their prescriptions. Whether the medicine is discontinued or in short supply, compounding pharmacies provide customers with access to discontinued medications. They can recreate the same formulations to ensure that you continue to receive the critical medications that you require. Compounding is a highly effective service that improves the efficiency of medical formulations while offering many other benefits.