Picking Up The Slack With Compounding
Major pharmaceutical companies can sometimes fail to produce quantities of certain drugs. Some drugs are discontinued due to low demand or high manufacturing costs. Others are in such high demand that keeping up is difficult. This makes supply scarce or makes sourcing the drug difficult. If the drug is accessible, a low supply can inflate the price, making the medication out of reach. A medicine may not be profitable but can be essential or even lifesaving for some patients. Local pharmacists who help patients requiring scarce drugs must find innovative ways to provide care. Compounding provides pharmacies with a tool to recreate drugs when mainstream suppliers fall short.
Understanding pharmacy compounding
Compounding is a standard pharmaceutical technique where a pharmacist creates a drug or supplement to meet the individual needs of a patient. Almost all prescription drugs are obtained from major distributors and pharmaceutical companies. Compounding takes the drug-making process in-house. Using appropriately sourced raw ingredients, compounding pharmacies can mix, alter, or recreate a drug to the patient's specifications. In some cases, pharmacies can combine multiple medicines into a single form. Off-brand or off-label compounding is especially useful for patients who struggle to source specific drugs. The process also gives pharmacies significant control and patients additional advantages.
Compounding addresses drug shortages
For scarce drugs, compounding is effective in meeting potential drug shortages. Patients who cannot find medication in standard pharmacies can visit a compounding location for a custom option. The compounding pharmacy can recreate an off-label version to continue treatment. These pharmacies also produce small batches of the scarce drug, following strict standards. A drug may simply be out of stock due to significant demand. Compounding fills supply gaps, giving more patients access to care while being confident that the drug will work and is affordable.
Customized medication preparation
Compounding goes a bit further by customizing scarce drugs. Not only can patients get the required medication, but also in different forms. The compounding pharmacy can convert medication from pills to liquid, add flavors, or adjust dosages. Making these changes helps patients with difficulty swallowing medicine or problems with taste. For patients who are allergic to dyes, preservatives, and other ingredients, compounding can omit these unpleasant ingredients, improving adherence. This creates a collaborative care between the pharmacist, patient, and doctors.
More flexibility in a crisis
Sometimes, medication shortages are due to supply chain issues or regulatory delays, which can take months to resolve. Compounding pharmacies have more flexibility while still adhering to quality and safety standards. Pharmacists can compound medication commercially unavailable under specific guidelines. The pharmacist can also produce different forms to manage limited supply, keeping the industry afloat by removing additional strains on the healthcare system.
Trust in compounding
Mainstream pharmaceutical companies can discontinue some drugs or struggle to meet the demand for others. When this happens, patients struggle to receive essential medication to maintain health and wellness. Local pharmacies can fill in the gaps with compounding. By creating a replica of a scarce drug, patients can still receive relief. For rare diseases, high demand, or drugs with low commercial viability, compounding becomes a vital part of the network of care. Pharmacies that invest in compounding have the opportunity to serve new patients while bringing more opportunities for the business.
