Combining prescription medications in a controlled/hygienic environment is compounding. Licensed pharmacists, physicians, or outsourcing facilities manage compounding operations under close supervision to produce compound drugs. They create compound medications for patients via compounding to target the individual needs of patients. Besides, many patients are sensitive to some compounds, additives, or other medications. Nevertheless, compound drugs don’t have the FDA approval; hence, people have all the rights to wonder: Are compounding pharmacies safe? We shall find an answer to this question in this post. Moreover, we shall also find out about the reliability of compound pharmacies for patients these days.
Several Misconceptions about Compound Pharmacies
FDA hasn’t approved compound medications, yet compound pharmacies undergo monitoring from the professionals. Pharmaceutical boards monitor the daily operations of all compound pharmacies, including compound pharmacies that the FDA regulates. FDA regulations ensure no compound pharmacy mislabels or misrepresents compound medications &their ingredients.
Additionally, patients can only get compound medications from a compounding pharmacy with legitimate prescriptions. Most compounding operations involve a local network of doctors and compound pharmacies, like Aurora Compounding. They render compounding services to the patients working together. Hence, compound pharmacies are safe in the perspective that FDA regulates these pharmacies.
Nonetheless, there are several misconceptions about compound pharmacies that you need to know about. Knowing about those myths in detail may help you better understand the safety and reliability of compound pharmacies. Those misconceptions are as follows:
Compound Drugs Are Alternative Medications:
Most alternative medicines are available as natural remedies and are scientifically unproven treatments. Contrarily, compound drugs are customized prescription medications. Most pharmaceutical drugs provide relief from certain medical conditions and aid in medical management. Still, some patients suffer side effects, like allergies, with the use of certain mass-produced medicines. It is where customized prescription medications from compounding pharmacies serve as alternative and beneficial medications to patients. Generally, compound drugs aren’t alternative medications but are helpful at times for some patients.
Compound Drugs Are Very Dangerous and Unsafe:
Compound medications are safe to use, provided that you get them from a reputable and licensed compounding pharmacy. Furthermore, mass-produced medicines aren’t a threat to patients more often than not. However, some patients cannot use mass-produced medications for different reasons to get relief from their medical conditions. Compounding allows patients to take medications in suitable dosages and without sensitive ingredients. Therefore, medications from reputable and licensed compound pharmacies are safer for patients than a threat.
Compound Pharmacies Aren’t Reliable for BHRT:
One of the main reasons people hesitate to use compound pharmacies is BHRT. BHRT stands for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy that aids people in revitalizing important hormones that they can lose with ageing. Traditional hormone replacement therapy also involves many risks; hence, people consider BHRT for hormone replacement. Still, patients need to choose an authentic compounding pharmacy for BHRT. Besides, there isn’t solid evidence regarding the effectiveness of BHRT drugs. Thus, patients should ensure getting BHRT drugs from licensed compound pharmacies for their safety. Reputable compound pharmacies offer patients a great solution to traditional HRT; hence, their BHRT drugs are safe to use.
Compound Pharmacies Can Provide Compound Medication without Prescriptions:
We have mentioned at the start of this post that you cannot get compound medications without medical prescriptions. Plus, no legitimate compounding pharmacies can provide you with compound drugs without a prescription. Compound pharmacies do it for the safety of patients. They know doctors understand the exact problem of patients with certain medications and make medical prescriptions accordingly. In addition, a compounding pharmacy can work with doctors to come up with a medical prescription for patients. Hence, it is also a misconception that a compounding pharmacy can provide compound drugs to patients without a medical prescription.
Compound Pharmacies Aren’t Regulated:
We have also mentioned earlier in this post that the FDA oversees the compounding operations of compound pharmacies. FDA regulates compounding operations with the close monitoring of their compounding operations. Moreover, if a compounding operation fails to meet the requirements of patients or violates the obligations, then they are subject to meet all requirements for conventional manufacturers. Then, non-compliant manufacturers pay for verification and necessary testing for FDA approval before continuing the business. Hence, compound pharmacies have to follow strict regulations for compounding.
Compound Drugs Are Very Expensive:
Compound pharmacists create compound drugs with customized prescription medications. It typically costs a relatively higher price to compound pharmacies, yet compound drugs aren’t very expensive
Hence, licensed and reputable compound pharmacies are safe for patients to use to deal with their medical conditions.
Conclusion:
When patients cannot use mass-produced medications, they need to look for alternative. Compound drugs haven’t yet received FDA approval; still, compound medications from licensed compounding pharmacies are safe to use. Lastly, the following are several misconceptions of people about compounding:
- Compound Drugs Are Alternative Medications
- Plus, compound Drugs Are Very Dangerous and Unsafe
- Compound Pharmacies Aren’t Reliable for BHRT
- Additionally, Compound Pharmacies Can Provide Compound Medications without Prescriptions
- Compound Pharmacies Aren’t Regulated
- Lastly, Compound Drugs Are Very Expensive
