How Are Compounding Pharmacies Different From Standard Pharmacies?
At some point in time, most people have to get prescriptions filled at a pharmacy. Physicians may call in, fax in or send you with a written prescription for the medication that will make you feel better. Usually a standard pharmacy already has these medications in stock and they need to sort out the correct amount and dosage that the doctor has ordered for you to take. However, if you go to a compound pharmacy, getting a prescription filled involves more work for the pharmacist. This is how a compound pharmacy differs from a standard pharmacy.
The Pharmacist's Training
A compound pharmacist must have more extensive training than a regular pharmacist. Like a regular pharmacist they must know how to make proper doses, how medications interact with each other and what medications are used for what symptoms.
However, compound pharmacists must also know the chemical makeup of each and every medication they sell in their pharmacy. This is because those chemicals are mixed together to create these medications right there in a lab in the pharmacy.
Where the Medications Are Made
In a standard pharmacy, medications are already pre-mixed by the manufacturer and then shipped in bulk to the pharmacy. However, this is not the case in a compound pharmacy. The chemicals that are used to make the medications are pre-shipped to the pharmacy, however, they are mixed to make the medications right in the compound pharmacy.
How the Medications Are Made
Since the prescription medications are mixed in a compound pharmacy, the mixture can be modified if needed. For instance, if one ingredient is used only to add color or a smoother flavor, it can be left out if the patient is allergic to that ingredient.
This is sometimes the case with medications, such as liquid cough medications, that come pre-made with red dye in them. It is not uncommon for some people to be allergic to red dye. By getting this prescription from a compound pharmacy, the red dye can be left out which makes the medication perfectly safe for the patient.
Both standard and compound pharmacies provide excellent services to customers who take prescriptions on a regular basis. However, if you know you are allergic to certain things that may be in those medications, it is a good idea to consult with a compound pharmacist—such as http://www.pottershouserx.com—to see if your medication can be made without the ingredients you are allergic to.
