The history of pharmacy – providing patients with pharmaceutical products – spans some 5,000 years. While compounding has been around just as long, its role has changed throughout the decades.
During the 1930s and ’40s, a majority of medications were compounded. Then, in the ’50s and ’60s, the preparation of custom medications declined with the rise of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Today, doctors and their patients are again recognizing the benefits of compounding and turning to compounding pharmacists, or “problem solvers”, to provide customized medications that reflect each patient’s unique needs.
It is estimated that approximately 1% of all prescriptions are now compounded daily by pharmacists who work closely with physicians and patients to deliver the right medication, and highly personalized patient care.
