Compounded medications are drugs that doctors and pharmacists recommend to patients in specific situations. At times, doctors make prescriptions for patients to help patients get customized medications from a compounding pharmacy in Toronto. They may recommend compound drugs when they think they can best meet the needs of individual patients. However, you may not know what compounded drugs are. Plus, why a doctor may prescribe them to you and if your health insurance will cover these medicines or not. Read this post till the end to find out answers to the aforementioned concerns.
What Are Compounded Prescriptions?
As per the APhA (The American Pharmacists Association): “Compounding is a practice of creation of a pharmaceutical preparation or drug by the hands of a licensed pharmacist to meet the unique needs of individual patients, including animals and humans, when mass-produced dugs do not meet the needs of patients.”
Further, most pharmacies offer some sort of compounding solutions within their facilities. Additionally, there are specialized compounding pharmacies with the extra equipment for formulating a large sort of different compound prescriptions. Generally, these pharmacies have pharmacists with the right training. For the same reason, they know the ins and outs of creating safe compounding medications for patients.
Why Would You Need a Compounded Medication?
Generally, mass-produced medications are enough to meet the needs of patients. However, mass-produced drugs are not always the right choice for patients. Further, these drugs may not meet the needs of specific patients. When mass-produced drugs cannot suit the needs of specific patients, they need to look for a solution.
Further, compound medications seem the best alternative to doctors when they realize normal medications do not fit the needs of patients perfectly. You may also need compound medications for such reasons. Besides, the following are the most common reasons doctors or pharmacists may prescribe you compound medications:
When You Are Allergic to Certain Ingredients in Mass-Produced Drugs:
Some mass-produced drugs contain ingredients that cause allergies to people. A doctor may prescribe you compound medications when you are intolerant or allergic to mass-produced medications.
If You Want a Single Medication Than Multiple Medications:
It is possible for compound pharmacists to combine multiple medicines into one via compounding. It also makes it easier for patients to take their medicines. You may need compounded drugs for this reason.
When Mass-Produced Drugs Are Short in the Market:
At times, patients cannot find mass-produced drugs in a retail pharmacy. It can specifically happen when the pharmaceutical company stops producing medicines due to their low demand. It is also where a compounding pharmacy in Toronto comes to rescue patients while making medicines available to them.
If You Are Intolerant to the Method of Delivery:
At times, patients may not take their medicines due to their method of delivery. For example, pills are hard to swallow for children and older adults. It is also where a compounding pharmacy can help patients. Compound pharmacists can change medicines into different forms to ensure they take their medicines. For instance, they may transform the form of medications into liquid medications to help patients take their medicines.
Are Compounded Prescriptions Safe?
Now, you know about compounding prescriptions and why you may need them. It is time you know whether compounded prescriptions are safe or not. Compounded prescriptions are safe as long as you get your medicines from an esteemed compounding pharmacy. Besides, compounded drugs are safe when you get them from a pharmacy that sticks to strict standards for their production. In other words, you can take a compounded medicine and consider it safe when a physician prescribes it to you.
However, one of the downsides of compounded medications is their cost. Typically, compounded drugs are costlier than commercially-available drugs.
Will a Health Insurance Plan Cover Compounded Drugs for You?
It depends on your personal prescription coverage whether the health insurance plan cover compounded drugs or not. There are plans that cover 100% of compounded medications, some cover a portion, and some cover nothing at all. You may check your plan’s drug formulary to confirm it, as every health insurance provider has formularies that outline what exact prescriptions it covers.
Conclusion
Doctors or pharmacists recommend compound drugs to patients in certain situations to meet the needs of individual patients. You may also need to get compounded drugs from a compounding pharmacy in Toronto in such situations. The following are the scenarios when you may need compounded drugs from a compounding pharmacy:
- When You Are Allergic to Certain Ingredients in Mass-Produced Drugs
- If You Want a Single Medication Than Multiple Medications
- When Mass-Produced Drugs Are Short in the Market
- If You Are Intolerant to the Method of Delivery
Additionally, compounded prescriptions are safe, specifically when you choose an esteemed pharmacy to get your compound medications. Lastly, the health insurance plan may or may not cover compounding prescriptions.
