Compounding Pharmacies Offer Unique Services Depending on State Regulations and Individual Licenses

The world of pharmacies and mass produced medications is based on a "one-size-fits-all" mentality. Big box drug stores stock a panoply of over the counter, and mass produced pharmaceuticals, and often have a pharmacist on hand to fill mass produced prescriptions. Mom and pop enterprises usually carry a much smaller selection of over the counter medications, and may not have a pharmacist on staff, but will often score high in personal service.

A compounding pharmacy (aka specialty pharmacy) is usually not much of a storefront. In most cases they work behind the scenes in conjunction with physicians and veterinarians, formulating personalized prescription medications for specific patients according to their particular needs and physical chemistry. In addition, depending on their location and licensing, they may offer other unique services not available from regular pharmacies.

Compounding pharmacists receive the same education as all pharmacists, plus advanced training from the Professional Compounding Centers of America, or PCCA. Most are very strong in areas such as pain management and bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, in addition to being well versed in the use of natural and organic remedies for all sorts of conditions and treatments.

In addition to the federal regulation of all drugs, all pharmacists are licensed by the state in which they are located, so additional services they are able to offer, in addition to dispensing medications, is state regulated. This is why pharmacies in some states are able to offer services such as flu shots and other vaccinations, while no such convenience will be available in a neighboring state.

Because of their very comprehensive training, compounding pharmacologists are able to offer some unique additional services. Generally speaking, naturopathic doctors work closely with specialty pharmacists more frequently than mainstream doctors. This is where their combined expertise in the use of herbal remedies comes into play and may be useful for specific patients' conditions.

Some of these store fronts are able to inoculate both adults and children for illnesses such as the flu, as well as regular adult and childhood vaccines. Still others are able to run hormone level tests, and working with a physician can provide bio-identical hormone therapy for a patient, based on the test result. Bio-identical hormone therapy is actually herbal, rather than the synthetic hormones produced by mass pharmaceutical corporations. As such, the body accepts the hormones (hence the name bio-identical) which eliminates side effects so common in other synthetic preparations. As with most specialty formulations, delivery of the hormones can be via pills or capsules, as well as patches applied to the skin.

One of the really special services that these pharmacies can offer is the ability to stock or acquire low need medications, and/or very expensive or very rare herbs. Some of these drugs or herbal remedies are so low need that the big pharmaceuticals will not produce them because they are not profitable. These specialists are able to formulate one-of-a-kind medications for specific patients as needed.

Compounding pharmacies often work hand in hand with pediatricians and veterinarians because these patients also have unique needs. Anyone who has ever tried to get either a baby or a puppy to take a pill knows this is an uphill battle. Specialty pharmacists are able to prepare the same drugs in liquid form and flavored to taste good - making the pill struggle a thing of the past. In addition to making the medication more palatable, the pharmacists can hone in on exactly the right dosage for the individual, or adjust the delivery method of the drugs to find the one most suitable.

Physicians will often write special prescriptions for pain management treatments. Some reasons why custom dosages may be required for pain include:

* in order to reduce the length of treatment and the dosage of the opiates commonly used for severe or chronic pain.

* Since individuals vary greatly in their response to drug strengths, the ability to provide customized dosages reduces the concerns about an overdose or allergic reaction for people with low tolerance.

* Athletes are frequent customers because in many cases they need to continue to function in spite of injuries. In these cases, it is often possible to create transdermal applications, such as gels or patches. This eliminates the pills or injections that frequently are accompanied by side effects such as drowsiness and the inability to function while under the influence. Transdermal applications take the pain relief directly to the injured joint, muscle or ligament and bypass the digestive system altogether.

Because not all people fit into the mass produced mold of medicating, compounding pharmacies are specialists in formulating herbs and drugs into individualized, sometimes one-of-a-kind prescriptions.

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If you are seeking hormone replacement therapy in Los Angeles author Stephen Daniels highly recommends you look into the services offered by Advanced Physicians Solutions. Their very qualified and licensed staff specialize in this field, and work with your doctor or naturopath to find the best solutions for your unique medical needs. Compounding Pharmacies Offer Unique Services Depending on State Regulations and Individual Licenses