For many, medication adherence is a constant struggle. Whether it's the bitter taste of liquid antibiotics, difficulty swallowing large pills, or allergies to inactive ingredients, traditional medication forms can present significant challenges. This is where compounding pharmacies come in, offering customized solutions that can address these issues and improve medication adherence.
What is Compounding?
Compounding is the practice of preparing personalized medications for specific patient needs. Unlike mass-produced medications, compounded medications are created by a pharmacist based on a doctor's prescription. This allows for:
Dosage adjustments: Medications can be adjusted to a specific dose required by the patient, addressing potential over- or under-medication issues.
Dosage form changes: Medications can be converted from one form to another, such as from tablets to liquids or creams, to improve ease of administration for patients with swallowing difficulties or specific preferences.
Flavoring: Unpleasant-tasting medications can be flavored to mask their bitterness, making them more palatable for children or adults with taste sensitivities.
Removal of allergens: For patients with allergies to inactive ingredients present in commercially available medications, the pharmacist can create a compounded version free of those allergens.
3 Compounding Solutions for Common Medication Challenges:
- Bitter Medications
For many children and some adults, the bitter taste of medications presents a significant obstacle to completing their treatment. This can lead to missed doses, reduced efficacy, and frustration for both patients and caregivers. Thankfully, compounding offers solutions:
Flavoring: Pharmacists can add various flavors like chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla to mask the bitter taste of medications. This makes the medication more palatable and encourages adherence, especially for younger patients.
Dosage forms: Converting bitter medications from tablets to liquids, lollipops, or dissolvable wafers can significantly improve palatability. These alternative forms are easier to swallow and often have a more pleasant taste.
A child prescribed a liquid antibiotic finds it too bitter and refuses to take it. A compounding pharmacy can flavor the medication with a child-friendly flavor like grape or cherry, making it more tolerable and ensuring the child completes the full course of treatment.
- Difficulty Swallowing
Swallowing pills can be challenging for individuals with certain medical conditions, age-related limitations, or dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). This can lead to medication non-adherence and potentially harmful consequences. Compounding offers various solutions in such cases:
Dosage form changes: Large pills can be compounded into smaller tablets, capsules, or liquids, making them easier to swallow.
Suspensions: Medications can be compounded into suspensions, which are thicker liquids that are easier to swallow than traditional liquid medications.
Suppositories or lozenges: For some medications, compounding may allow for alternative dosage forms like suppositories (inserted rectally) or lozenges (dissolved in the mouth), bypassing the need for swallowing altogether.
An elderly patient experiences difficulty swallowing large capsules. A compounding pharmacy can prepare their medication as smaller tablets or a flavored suspension, making it easier and safer for the patient to take.
- Medication Allergies
For individuals with allergies to inactive ingredients commonly found in commercially available medications, taking the prescribed medication can be impossible. Thankfully, compounding offers a solution:
Allergen-free formulations: Pharmacists can work with doctors to identify the specific allergens in the commercially available medication and create a compounded version that is free of those ingredients. This allows patients with medication allergies to receive the necessary treatment safely.
A patient is allergic to lactose, a common inactive ingredient in many medications. A compounding pharmacy can create an allergen-free version of the medication, ensuring the patient receives the treatment they need without experiencing allergic reactions.
Finding a Reputable Compounding Pharmacy
It's important to choose a reputable compounding pharmacy that adheres to strict quality and safety standards. Look for pharmacies that are:
Licensed by their state board of pharmacy
Accredited by a national compounding organization
Staffed by experienced and qualified pharmacists
Committed to ongoing education and training in compounding
If you are looking for a compounding pharmacy that meets the standards of quality, safety, and professionalism, you may want to consider MediServ Pharmacy. This New York-based compounding pharmacy provides a variety of compounding services and collaborates with healthcare providers to deliver customized medications that suit your specific needs.
Compounding can be a valuable tool for overcoming medication adherence challenges and improving patient care. By offering customized solutions for taste, swallowing difficulties, and allergies, compounding pharmacies can help individuals receive the treatment they need effectively and safely. If you are facing difficulties with commercially available medications, discuss your options with your doctor and consider exploring the potential benefits of compounded medications.