Choosing a compounding pharmacy

Choosing your compounding pharmacy may be as important as choosing your doctor. We suggest that, when your doctor writes a prescription requiring compounding, look for a pharmacy displaying the PCAB Seal or the designation "PCAB Accredited compounding pharmacy."

Many pharmacies will provide some compounding. Most will perform basic compounding – for example, combining two ointments into one preparation. The more complicated and time-consuming the procedure, the more likely it is to be performed only in specialized pharmacies.

Often, the equipment needed for complicated or sensitive compounding is expensive. For example, if the resulting compounded preparation must be sterile, a special air-filtering system will probably be required. In the case of higher-level sterile products, an entire room designed to meet special requirements as a "clean room" will be necessary.

Pharmacists are trained in pharmacy school to compound; the depth of that training may depend on when a student graduated and from what pharmacy school. As the preparations become more difficult or complicated, the amount of training needed increases, sometimes above that taught in many colleges of pharmacy. PCAB Accredited compounding pharmacies are required to have specific training in the art and science of compounding on a regular basis.