You may be wondering what compounding is. Before we delve deeper into finding the best compound chemist near me, we should first make you understand what it is. Compounding, in medical terms, is altering the ingredients of a certain medication by mixing them up with other substances to make the medication suitable for the patient.
Compounding usually entails combining more than one type of drug and is often not approved by the FDA.
Why is Compounding necessary?
Although a drug may be FDA-approved, some patients don’t react well to it. Mostly, the patients in this category are allergic to one of the substances in the medication. In this case, they may prefer their medication without the said ingredient. Another example is when a patient is a child who swallowed a capsule or tablet and needs an alternative (liquid dosage).
In the scenarios mentioned above, compounding is most ideal. Seeing that a small group of people depend on this process, it should be conducted without posing risks to the patients. When you Google a compound chemist near me, you will find plenty of results. This can make it quite difficult to choose the best for your needs. For this reason, we have gathered a few qualities and factors that you need to consider before you trust a “compound chemist near me” result.
Factors to consider when looking for a compound chemist near me
You may have read about compounding and understood what it is. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. The process entails altering the ingredients in medication for a more personalized effect. This means that the medication will have the same intended effect after compounding. With that said, compounding requires experts to devise a perfect combination technique for the medications to work. That is why we have chemists that perform this task with the utmost precision. Below are some of the questions you should ask when looking for a compound chemist near me.
Is the compound chemist PCAB-accredited?
Many chemists will tell you that they can perform compounding. However, you will need to know whether the compound chemist near me meets the standards of the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB). With accreditation from this board, you are sure that the medication and all ingredients come from a trusted source. What’s more, you will be sure that all protocol is observed during the preparation of the medication.
Has the Chemist received Pharmaceutical Training?
Before rushing to the compound chemist, you should also ensure that the attendants have the required qualifications. You can ascertain this by going through their training and certification from a well-known institution. Qualified pharmacists research to develop reliable compounding formulas.
Which Ingredients are used by them?
A compound chemist should acquire high-quality medical chemicals. The chemicals used in compounding should possess reliable potency properties as they come from pure and active ingredients. Moreover, a Certificate of Analysis for all its compounding substances is the perfect go-to.
Do they perform Batch Testing?
When a product is created, it needs to undergo testing before releasing it to the end-user. The same should apply to any compound chemist near me. Compound chemists are required to conduct batch testing for their prescriptions for safety purposes. In doing so, the compounding chemists prevent possible errors while combining the medications.
Conclusion
When looking for the best way to take your medication, going for compounded medication is ideal. For this reason, you should ensure you are getting the medicines from a trusted compound chemist near me.