About Compounding Pharmacists
Compounding is a way for physicians or other healthcare professionals to order custom medications for their patients. The compounding pharmacist combines the necessary ingredients into the form the doctor has ordered.
If you are a member of the public, we hope that this will be a helpful place for you to learn about the history and importance of compounding pharmacies. If you are one of the professionals like physicians, veterinarians, dentists, naturopaths or others, this is a group that is committed to maintaining the highest professional standards in our service of you and your patients.
A Brief History of Compounding
At one time, nearly all prescriptions were compounded. With the advent of mass drug manufacturing in the 1950s and ‘60s, compounding rapidly declined. The pharmacist’s role as a preparer of medications quickly changed to that of a dispenser of manufactured dosage forms, and most pharmacists no longer were trained to compound medications. However, the “one-size-fits-all” nature of many mass-produced medications meant that some patients’ needs were not being met.
Innovative Compounding Technology & Techniques
Fortunately, compounding has experienced a resurgence as modern technology and innovative techniques and research have allowed more pharmacists to customize medications to meet specific patient needs.
Trained, compounding pharmacists can now personalize medicine for patients who need specific:
- Strengths
- Dosage forms
- Flavours
- Ingredients excluded from medications due to allergies or other sensitivities