A compounding pharmacist prepares customized medications to meet individual needs. This allows your doctor to prescribe medications in customized forms that are not commercially available.

Compounding pharmacists undergo extensive training to receive their certification. Also, there is a significant investment in a lab and the equipment required to produce compounded prescriptions safely and accurately.

Compounding pharmacists can:

• Adjust the strength of a medication.
• Alter the flavour of medications to make them more palatable.
• Formulate preservative or dye free medications for patients with sensitivities to additives that are in many commercially available products.
• Change the form of a medication to ease administration (eg. Produce a liquid preparation where only tablets are available for patients who have difficulty swallowing solid dosage forms.)
• Produce unique dosage forms such as lollipops, lozenges, suppositories and gels to make the process of taking/administering medications a more pleasant experience.

Specialty areas of treatment where compounding can be particularly useful are as follow:

Pain Management – Topically anti-inflammatory medication to avoid stomach upset.

Hospice Medications – Transdermal anti-nauseants, pain medications for topical and rectal administration and multiple medication compounds for easier dosing.

Sports Medicine – Topical anti-inflammatory agents that can include an anesthetic agent and/or a muscle relaxant.

Pediatrics – Tasty flavours for those hard to swallow medications.

Natural Hormone Therapy – Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone hormone replacement therapy for menopause, PMS, endometriosis and libido challenges.

Dermatology – Cosmetic quality creams, ointments, gels, solutions and lip balms.

Veterinary – Medication doses and flavours created specifically to suit the needs of your cat, dog, horses, birds and exotics. These formulations are design for ease of administration to animals that may be resistant to taking medications.

In summary, compounding pharmacists take tried and tested medications and customize the vehicle for administration or adjust the strength in order to improve that patients ability to take the medications they require.