Compounding FAQ

 When you hear about custom medications or personally formulated prescriptions, you probably have many questions running through your head. It’s important that you educate yourself about what you’re putting in your body and how these medications are made. 

In the hopes of helping you feel less overwhelmed, we’ve provided a short FAQ below regarding how compounding works and what to expect if you need a compounded medication. If you have additional questions that have not been addressed on this page, contact us to discuss your individual needs.

What is compounding?

Not all drugs are suited for everyone. Depending on what condition you are treating, you could need a specific dosage of a medicine that isn’t the standard dose. You could also need this medication specially formulated as a deliverable you can tolerate. The act of compounding a drug is manipulating the drug and modifying it to meet the individual needs of the patient.

Is drug compounding legal?

Yes, drug compounding is legal. However, only educated, trained, and licensed compounding pharmacists at registered compounding pharmacies should be compounding prescription medications. These are the only places where you can trust that your medications have been safely formulated.

How do I get a compounded medication?

Compounded medications are only available through your physician. If you are having trouble taking your current medicine as prescribed, a compounding pharmacy may be able to help formulate a custom drug to meet your needs. 

You can also reach out to The Healthy Choice compounding pharmacy if you have questions about drug compounding as a whole or a specific medication you are interested in discussing with your doctor. 

Are compounded drugs dangerous?

Compounded drugs are not dangerous, as long as they are prepared by licensed, skilled compounding pharmacists at qualified, licensed compounding pharmacies like The Healthy Choice. 

These highly trained professionals carefully prepare the custom medications you need to treat your medical condition. In fact, many compounding pharmacists would agree that custom-formulated drugs are actually safer for patients, as they are compounded to meet the patient’s specific needs. 

Why doesn’t the FDA approve compounded drugs?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve compounded medications. This means that the FDA has not reviewed or verified the safety of the personalized drugs for every patient. However, this does not mean that your compounded medications are unsafe. It simply means that the FDA has not personally reviewed your custom drug for effectiveness or safety. 

The FDA states that there is a medical need for compounded medications, but it has expressed concern about drug compounding operations that are not registered or do not meet the industry standards for safety and sanitation. With The Healthy Choice, there’s no need to worry about that.

Contact a Respected Compounding Pharmacy

Do you have other questions about drug compounding? Do you have a prescription for a medication that needs to be compounded? Contact The Healthy Choice compounding pharmacy so we can formulate your medicine. You can reach us through the online contact form below or by phone at 914-238-1700.