Compounding – Is It Legal?

by | Feb 2, 2012 | Health

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There is a prevalent myth that compounding is a form of alternative medicine that is not legally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is a myth that needs to be busted if people want to get the most out of any treatment.

This is a practice that is widely used in health care industries. Contrary to some belief, FDA considers compounding pharmacies completely legal, as long as the pharmacists are licensed. The doctor that has written a prescription for a patient that is unable to take in medication in available forms must also be licensed.

You cannot get compounded drugs across the counter, without a prescription from a licensed doctor. Once you give him a prescription, the druggist will convert the medication that you need into a form that will suit your individual requirement.

This means that if you are allergic to the dyes present in cough syrups, you will be given the same composition without the dye. If you cannot take in solid capsules or tablets, your compounder will give you the same drug composition in the form of a liquid, or even in the form of a cream that will be absorbed directly through your skin.

Compounding is a traditional form of medication. Before drugs began to be mass-produced, people went to these local pharmacies and got the drugs in the strengths and form that they needed. Modern pharmacies are less experienced with this practice. So now there are specialized druggists who will make up your required formula for you.

If you are undergoing some form of biodentical hormone replacement therapy, the chances are that you will be sent to a compounder. Many large pharma companies may discontinue drugs that are not profitable for them to keep. You will find these at the compounder.

For many people, therefore, compounded drugs are the only option on the path to recovery. The standards for this practice is set by the PCAB. Note that twenty to thirty percent of prescriptions in the US are ‘off-label’, which means that the doctor considers it will benefit the patient even though it is not legally approved for the condition.

So if you are hesitating about going on with a treatment that prescribes compounding, Folsom pharmacists that specialize in creating drugs for the special needs of patients can help you, as long as they are licenses. If you are unable to take in medication in a particular form, you will definitely benefit from one that is custom created for you to take in easily.