Custom compounding is the art and science of creating tailor-made prescription and non-prescription products for an individual. The process of custom making, or ‘Compounding’ medications and supplements, may have its origins deeply embedded in past pharmacy practice. However, the importance of compounding in creating ‘personalised medicine’ means it remains relevant today and is crucial in the emerging field of personalised health care.
As a pharmacy, we are encountering increased numbers of patients with varying degrees of health concerns and challenges who find that the ‘one-size fits all’ model of medication does NOT meet their needs. They desire and need a more individualised and considered approach to their medication and supplement needs.
Medications and supplements are custom-made by our team of compounding pharmacists and technicians, to address the specific health challenges of each individual patient. On many occasions, a small tweak or minor modification to an existing medication by our team can have significant benefits for the patient including their ability to take their medication accurately and regularly.
Examples of the types of custom compounding we perform on a daily basis include:
1. CUSTOM MADE DOSING
A patient requires a dose that is different from those offered by the proprietary product. For eg. Efexor, a common antidepressant is manufactured in 37.5mg, 75mg and 150mg strength tablets. However, a patient may require 50mg daily. The precise dosage can often not be accurately and or consistently administered when breaking non-scored tablets in halves and quarters. Often, it is not safe or appropriate to disrupt the coating or matrix design of a sustained-release medication product, which is specially manufactured to release slowly within the body.
This is where compounding can support patient and prescriber needs.
2. ALLERGIES & INTOLERANCES
Often, patients discover that they have allergies or intolerances to various products, which can include the non-medicated additives, fillers, colours and excipients used in proprietary medicines and supplements. The degree to which intolerance or allergy affects the person varies. However, we see many patients, such as those with gluten intolerance or Histamine Intolerance, that find even the smallest amount of the offending substance can cause dramatic inflammatory symptoms.
Removing the offending ingredient from their daily medications and supplements can be an important step towards relieving their symptoms. This can include removing additives that are commonly found in topical products such as creams, ointments, and lotions.
Our knowledgeable compounding team will discuss options for inert ingredients the patient tolerates.
3. CHANGES TO FORM
Swallowing can be challenging for certain patient groups, such as: infants and young children, the elderly, those suffering from dry mouth, disabled patients, or those that have a sensitive gag reflex.
Our knowledgeable compounding team will consider the properties of the medication or supplement and can recommend alternative options such as Liquids, concentrated drops, troches (like wax lozenges), capsules or suppositories and pessaries.
4. MULTIPLE INGREDIENT PREPARATIONS
A patient with numerous health conditions may have increasing difficulty consuming an ever-increasing number of medications and supplements recommended by their doctor. Where the dosages are stable and unlikely to change, our team can combine the medications into a single capsule to make consumption easier and simpler, and avoid/minimise the psychological challenges of consuming large numbers of tablets each day.
5. FLAVOUR
We have multiple pleasant flavours available for our more ‘discerning’ patients. The flavours include bubblegum, marshmallow, raspberry, spearmint, strawberry and Tutti Frutti.
6. VETERINARY PRODUCTS
Our team is also highly trained in veterinary compounding and has the skills to create medications for the fussiest of furry friends!
We offer various forms of administration including capsules, transdermal creams, and oral liquids and suspensions which can be flavoured like chicken or tuna.
7. OUT OF STOCK AND DISCONTINUED MEDICATIONS
Sometimes medications have stock availability issues for short or extended periods of time, and occasionally they are deleted from the wholesalers altogether. In these situations, our compounding team can research and source the raw ingredients, or alternative ingredients, to ensure our patients have continuing access to needed medications. The process of preparing these formulations involves consultation with both the patient and prescriber.
8. NEW INGREDIENT COMBINATIONS
There are also occasions when new research yields new health protocols and combinations of ingredients, which are not yet available as commercially produced medicines. The world of manufacturing often trails medical discovery by a significant timeframe.
Our compounding team can work together with the Specialist prescribers and help bridge this treatment gap.
Compounding, such as that performed at Heathershaw’s Compounding Pharmacy is at the forefront to be able to provide a critical safety net in assuring patient medication certainty.
