The most important reason why compounded medications are prescribed is “patient non-compliance”. This means that patients are for instance allergic to certain preservatives, dyes, and drug strengths or they are intolerant to one of the components contained in a medicine or have problems swallowing capsules, and therefore require alternatively developed medications.
Compounding pharmacists are able to make a variety of changes to traditional medications, as to maximize the result of the pharmacotherapy including:
• Lower levels or elimination of dyes, preservatives, etc.
• Increased or decreased dosage strengths for infants or elderly people
• Alternative forms of medications, such as troches, lozenges, candies, gels and liquids
• Added flavours for better taste & easier ingestion
Besides this, pharmaceutical compounding also offers a solution to patients who require medications that have been discontinued by drug manufacturers or helps patients who may be facing a supply shortage of their normal medications.