The Pharmacy industry has made significant advancements over the years. Compounding Pharmacy (also referred to as compounding and pharmaceutical compounding) is a particular type of pharmacy that specializes in preparing a specific drug product in order to fill a patient's unique prescription. It is permitted by a physician when an approved drug cannot be used for personal reasons of the patient (i.e. the patient in unable to take a certain mass produced drug. These medications are created by mixing raw ingredients. In the 1930s and 1940s, most of all the medications were compounded.
When mass drug manufacturing became the standard method of making drugs, compounding began to decline.
Today, customizing a medication, creating accommodating methods of drug dosages and providing other methods of dispensing drugs, are fundamental underpinnings of the role of compounding pharmacies. The goal is to provide a drug that fits the unique needs of a patient. Physicians may prescribe compounded medication for a patient with a unique health need that can include:
- Used in the Veterinary profession for a change in the method of administration, a change in dosage, and to make it more pleasant tasting for the animal.
- Patients having the need of medicines that require a certain dosage not available in regular mass produced forms. An example would be a small dosage strength such as an infant who requires a tiny dose of a particular medication.
- Patients undergoing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy It is used as an alternative to synthetics for patients suffering from menopausal symptoms
- Patients requiring allergen-free medications
- Children who require flavored liquid drugs
- Patients who need drugs that have been discontinued by pharmaceutical manufacturers
- Another method of taking a medication required such as making a pill into a liquid medication. Liquid forms of medications for patients who have difficulties swallowing
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA (fda.gov), "unless absolutely necessary, patients are better served when taking commercially manufactured drugs that have been scientifically tested and their safety and efficacy has been proven with sufficient standards." The FDA has also stated that "compounded prescriptions are ethical and legal as long as they are prescribed by a licensed practitioner for a specific patient and are compounded by a licensed pharmacist." Pharmaceutical companies are regulated by the FDA and must meet stringent quality control standards to ensure their products are safe and that each batch is consistent with other batches. Compounding pharmacies are regulated by state boards of pharmacy therefore each state will have a different set of standards and regulations that requires compliance.
Most compounding pharmacies are conscientious about their quality control practices and techniques so that the drugs made in the facilities are safe. However, it is important to be aware of prescription medications such as injectibles to ensure the compounding pharmacy is a legitimate, reputable, pharmacy regulated by the FDA.
The demand for medications produced in Compounding Pharmacies is beginning to increase. Because of the growing unique requirements of patients, these pharmacies appear to be a mainstay in the medical community.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook
is book is, written by my favorite herbal expert James A. Duke, Ph.D., author of several other great books, including my favorite, best seller, The Green Pharmacy. This book, much like the other is full of the author's expertise, wisdom and wit, making it not only useful for the budding herbalist, but a pleasure to read. Dr. Duke was named chief of the Medicinal Plant Laboratory at the USDA in 1977 and is considered the World's foremost authority on herbs. Just seeing this man's name on the front cover of the book was enough incentive for me to get a copy for myself; however, this is not the only reason to have it.
Dr. Duke, does it again with a well-indexed group of nearly 200 herbs-more than any other herb book I own. Unlike its predecessor, this book is sectioned by herb species rather than ailment. Each section starts by addressing and defining the herb and includes a brief history and any personal experience the author may have had with the mentioned herb. Bulleted under each herbal entry are Therapeutic Uses, Medicinal Properties, Prescription Counterparts, Dosage Options, Safety Rating, and Precautions.
I absolutely love The Green Pharmacy! The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (Rodale ISBN 1-57954-184-4) runs a close second and is an outstanding companion and another reflection of the expertise and genius of Dr. Duke. These two books are simple, concise and every herbalist would truly benefit having a copy of each on the shelf in his herbal library.
I am a retired statistical database designer and stay-at-home mom with 3 children. I enjoy learning about the complexities of nutrition and nature with respect for God's master design. My goal is to uncover the mysteries of optimum health and share them with family, friends and others with similar desires.
Dr. Duke, does it again with a well-indexed group of nearly 200 herbs-more than any other herb book I own. Unlike its predecessor, this book is sectioned by herb species rather than ailment. Each section starts by addressing and defining the herb and includes a brief history and any personal experience the author may have had with the mentioned herb. Bulleted under each herbal entry are Therapeutic Uses, Medicinal Properties, Prescription Counterparts, Dosage Options, Safety Rating, and Precautions.
I absolutely love The Green Pharmacy! The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (Rodale ISBN 1-57954-184-4) runs a close second and is an outstanding companion and another reflection of the expertise and genius of Dr. Duke. These two books are simple, concise and every herbalist would truly benefit having a copy of each on the shelf in his herbal library.
I am a retired statistical database designer and stay-at-home mom with 3 children. I enjoy learning about the complexities of nutrition and nature with respect for God's master design. My goal is to uncover the mysteries of optimum health and share them with family, friends and others with similar desires.
Common Complaints From Online Pharmacy Reviews
Online Pharmacies offer subtle shipping, low prices and a wide variety of pills. Ideally, using online pharmacies give you less hassle in ordering your medication. But, there are several problems with this industry. Some people have positive experiences with these while other people had terrible experiences with online pharmacies. Simply put, there are cheaters who operate such schemes. Other times, customers are just unlucky. Whatever the reason, different people have different experiences with online pharmacies. By reading through pharmacy review sites, here are the most common complaints encountered with these websites.
Package did not arrive
This is the most common and most bothering complaint found in review sites. After ordering with online websites, the buyer never gets the package. This is the common ground of most blacklisted pharmacies in the internet. However, not getting the order is not always a case of cheating. There are cases that the medicine was simply lost in the mail or was confiscated by local officials. In that case, an online pharmacy would usually try to amend the set back by shipping a new package free of charge.
On the other hand, some clients were not as lucky as they encountered real liars. These people would take advantage of the long wait and run the person in circles to buy time. Their goal is to have the person wait until he/she runs out of time to file for money back with their card company. Be careful of such companies as these are the real evil doers of the industry. They simply grab the money of those who need the medication and leave the customer with nothing except a bigger problem
Terrible Customer Service
The purpose of a customer service support is to ensure customer satisfaction. They are there to answer questions of their customers. These people are there to update the customer about his/her package. In other words, these are the people who tell the customer where and when the product will arrive, tell the client the status of their medication and take care of the customer's needs. But, customer service support will only be effective if done right.
If a customer gets hold of customer service and the latter cannot answer to the query then it's useless. Other times, customers complain not just about the inability to answer of customer service, but their total disregard as well. There are those who not only don't know what to say, but they treat the customer terribly as well.
Another frequent complaint by clients about customer service support is that they run them in circles. Sometimes, customer service entirely doesn't exist.
Credit Card Fraud
There are times an online pharmacy would indeed send the order right on time. But once the client's credit card statement arrives, he/she will find excessive charges. There are cases that the extra charge is hidden. Other instances report that the client paid for website membership fees without their consent.
Simply put, there are companies that charge more than the client bargained for. In other instances however, the problem could have stemmed from simple human error. In either case, the problem can be resolved by first contacting the company's customer support service. If this proves to be a waste of time, then the next step is to contact the credit card company in order to successfully deal with the problem.
Product received is different
Another common problem with buying from online pharmacies is the fact that they can give you different pills from what you ordered. Again, this problem can be the cause of different circumstances. It can be the fault in part of the company, the deliverer or simple miscommunication. There are cases that the orders were simply mixed up as well.
Most cases of wrong delivery can be cleared up with the online pharmacy's customer service support. But, if they cannot be contacted, it would again be best to contact the credit card company.
Product received in unusable condition
Sometimes the order received from an online pharmacy can turn out to have been crushed due to shipping. Most of the time this problem is not caused by the online pharmacy but the deliverer used by the company. Sometimes the online pharmacy would send a new package of pills if this happens. On the other hand, there will be those who would simply point the responsibility to others and leave the customer on his/her own.
Online pharmacies offer an easier, faster and cheaper way for people to buy the pills that they need. But consumers should always remember that this process is not perfect as well. There are instances of things going wrong or the company is a scammer. It is always best to read first from through pharmacy review sites before purchasing to be sure, safe and secure.
Package did not arrive
This is the most common and most bothering complaint found in review sites. After ordering with online websites, the buyer never gets the package. This is the common ground of most blacklisted pharmacies in the internet. However, not getting the order is not always a case of cheating. There are cases that the medicine was simply lost in the mail or was confiscated by local officials. In that case, an online pharmacy would usually try to amend the set back by shipping a new package free of charge.
On the other hand, some clients were not as lucky as they encountered real liars. These people would take advantage of the long wait and run the person in circles to buy time. Their goal is to have the person wait until he/she runs out of time to file for money back with their card company. Be careful of such companies as these are the real evil doers of the industry. They simply grab the money of those who need the medication and leave the customer with nothing except a bigger problem
Terrible Customer Service
The purpose of a customer service support is to ensure customer satisfaction. They are there to answer questions of their customers. These people are there to update the customer about his/her package. In other words, these are the people who tell the customer where and when the product will arrive, tell the client the status of their medication and take care of the customer's needs. But, customer service support will only be effective if done right.
If a customer gets hold of customer service and the latter cannot answer to the query then it's useless. Other times, customers complain not just about the inability to answer of customer service, but their total disregard as well. There are those who not only don't know what to say, but they treat the customer terribly as well.
Another frequent complaint by clients about customer service support is that they run them in circles. Sometimes, customer service entirely doesn't exist.
Credit Card Fraud
There are times an online pharmacy would indeed send the order right on time. But once the client's credit card statement arrives, he/she will find excessive charges. There are cases that the extra charge is hidden. Other instances report that the client paid for website membership fees without their consent.
Simply put, there are companies that charge more than the client bargained for. In other instances however, the problem could have stemmed from simple human error. In either case, the problem can be resolved by first contacting the company's customer support service. If this proves to be a waste of time, then the next step is to contact the credit card company in order to successfully deal with the problem.
Product received is different
Another common problem with buying from online pharmacies is the fact that they can give you different pills from what you ordered. Again, this problem can be the cause of different circumstances. It can be the fault in part of the company, the deliverer or simple miscommunication. There are cases that the orders were simply mixed up as well.
Most cases of wrong delivery can be cleared up with the online pharmacy's customer service support. But, if they cannot be contacted, it would again be best to contact the credit card company.
Product received in unusable condition
Sometimes the order received from an online pharmacy can turn out to have been crushed due to shipping. Most of the time this problem is not caused by the online pharmacy but the deliverer used by the company. Sometimes the online pharmacy would send a new package of pills if this happens. On the other hand, there will be those who would simply point the responsibility to others and leave the customer on his/her own.
Online pharmacies offer an easier, faster and cheaper way for people to buy the pills that they need. But consumers should always remember that this process is not perfect as well. There are instances of things going wrong or the company is a scammer. It is always best to read first from through pharmacy review sites before purchasing to be sure, safe and secure.
Online Pharmacy Credit Card Processing
High risk management accounts by their very name will always be treated with a degree of caution by the banks and other financial institutions but they are manageable nonetheless. As evidence shows however where the identity of customers cannot be verified banks will be extremely cautious and may refuse applications as a result to minimize those risks. The primary risk factors which are taken into account tend to be the potential of fraudulent transactions and charge backs. Furthermore banks and financial institutions will classify merchant accounts based on the risk factors involved.
Nowadays, online offshore businesses have become widely acceptable as a profitable source of income. The concept of online offshore business is quite simple. A commodity that is expensive and rare in a particular country might be cheap and abundantly available in another country. So, an online merchant arranges for the transfer of this commodity to customers who are in need of this product. Thereby, the customer is able to obtain the product easily and rather inexpensively than that he could have purchased from his own country.
The US and the UK governments have imposed restrictions on the trade of pharmaceutical products considering security reasons. This has resulted in inflated prices of pharmaceuticals within these respective countries. Online pharmacy merchants have identified the potential profit that is hidden in these countries. They have pharmacies based on countries where the cost of manufacture and trade is rather less compared to the US and the UK. So, all they have to do is arrange for proper transfer of the pharmaceuticals from these countries to potential customers in the US and the UK.
But this online offshore business poses an eminent flaw. In these transactions there is no security that the customers are dealing with legitimate suppliers and vice versa. Hence, the quality of the products obtained is always a concern for the customer. The World Wide Web is filled with money thirsty hyenas who will stoop to any extent to get a chunk out of your hard earned money. Also, there is the possibility that some frauds might pose as a potential customer and acquire the pharmaceuticals and sell them in the market illegally.
All these risk factors included have made banks and financial institutions to classify online pharmacy credit card processing as high risk merchant accounts. Therefore, these online pharmacy merchants find themselves in a hard position to find a credit card processor to look after their online transactions. If they go ahead with the wrong international bank or credit card processor, they will see themselves out of the business very soon. So, this is a delicate area which requires much attention and research.
Today there are many high risk merchant acquiring banks that provide merchant accounts for online pharmacy credit card processing. If you can convince these banks that you are a legitimate online pharmacy merchant, setting up and online pharmacy credit card processing account is very easy. In cases where the merchants conduct an inbound or outbound telemarketing business that sells pharmaceuticals over the phone, acquiring a merchant account can get a bit difficult, but is not impossible. Summing up, things have improved now enabling an online pharmacy merchant to run his business hassle free in terms of establishing his merchant account.
Nowadays, online offshore businesses have become widely acceptable as a profitable source of income. The concept of online offshore business is quite simple. A commodity that is expensive and rare in a particular country might be cheap and abundantly available in another country. So, an online merchant arranges for the transfer of this commodity to customers who are in need of this product. Thereby, the customer is able to obtain the product easily and rather inexpensively than that he could have purchased from his own country.
The US and the UK governments have imposed restrictions on the trade of pharmaceutical products considering security reasons. This has resulted in inflated prices of pharmaceuticals within these respective countries. Online pharmacy merchants have identified the potential profit that is hidden in these countries. They have pharmacies based on countries where the cost of manufacture and trade is rather less compared to the US and the UK. So, all they have to do is arrange for proper transfer of the pharmaceuticals from these countries to potential customers in the US and the UK.
But this online offshore business poses an eminent flaw. In these transactions there is no security that the customers are dealing with legitimate suppliers and vice versa. Hence, the quality of the products obtained is always a concern for the customer. The World Wide Web is filled with money thirsty hyenas who will stoop to any extent to get a chunk out of your hard earned money. Also, there is the possibility that some frauds might pose as a potential customer and acquire the pharmaceuticals and sell them in the market illegally.
All these risk factors included have made banks and financial institutions to classify online pharmacy credit card processing as high risk merchant accounts. Therefore, these online pharmacy merchants find themselves in a hard position to find a credit card processor to look after their online transactions. If they go ahead with the wrong international bank or credit card processor, they will see themselves out of the business very soon. So, this is a delicate area which requires much attention and research.
Today there are many high risk merchant acquiring banks that provide merchant accounts for online pharmacy credit card processing. If you can convince these banks that you are a legitimate online pharmacy merchant, setting up and online pharmacy credit card processing account is very easy. In cases where the merchants conduct an inbound or outbound telemarketing business that sells pharmaceuticals over the phone, acquiring a merchant account can get a bit difficult, but is not impossible. Summing up, things have improved now enabling an online pharmacy merchant to run his business hassle free in terms of establishing his merchant account.
How to Tell A Licensed Canadian Pharmacy From A Fake Internet Pharmacy
There has been a growing concern regarding fake internet pharmacies. In fact, the growth in the number of fake internet pharmacy websites has been termed as a "global disaster" by the pharmaceutical industry.
There are two things to stress here.
First, there are definitely unscrupulous con-men operating fake internet pharmacy sites. You must take care in verifying the validity of any online pharmacy before you order your medications from them.
Secondly, you need to take reports from the pharmaceutical industry with a grain of salt. Big Pharma wants Americans to continue to buy "inflated and overpriced" pharmaceuticals from their local pharmacy. It is in Big Pharma's best interest (more profits) that you pay top dollar for your medications locally rather than buying your medications affordably from a licensed Canadian pharmacy. Therefore, they use fear to scare you away from Canadian pharmacies and Canadian prescription drugs.
So how do you ensure that you are ordering from a genuine Canadian pharmacy and not a fake internet pharmacy?
First, review the pharmacy's website thoroughly. The website should provide you with the pharmacy license number, the physical address of the pharmacy and the regulatory body that oversees their operation. Most Canadian pharmacy regulatory bodies have a website that lists the registered pharmacies in their jurisdiction. You can visit the website http://www.napra.org in order to find the listing of pharmacies for each province in Canada or to find the regulatory body for the particular province your pharmacy is located in.
The pharmacy should also provide a phone number on their website for you to call. A pharmacist should be available for you to speak to about your order. Ask the pharmacist about their credentials and ask for their license number. If you want, you can verify this license number with the provincial pharmacy regulator.
There are two things to stress here.
First, there are definitely unscrupulous con-men operating fake internet pharmacy sites. You must take care in verifying the validity of any online pharmacy before you order your medications from them.
Secondly, you need to take reports from the pharmaceutical industry with a grain of salt. Big Pharma wants Americans to continue to buy "inflated and overpriced" pharmaceuticals from their local pharmacy. It is in Big Pharma's best interest (more profits) that you pay top dollar for your medications locally rather than buying your medications affordably from a licensed Canadian pharmacy. Therefore, they use fear to scare you away from Canadian pharmacies and Canadian prescription drugs.
So how do you ensure that you are ordering from a genuine Canadian pharmacy and not a fake internet pharmacy?
First, review the pharmacy's website thoroughly. The website should provide you with the pharmacy license number, the physical address of the pharmacy and the regulatory body that oversees their operation. Most Canadian pharmacy regulatory bodies have a website that lists the registered pharmacies in their jurisdiction. You can visit the website http://www.napra.org in order to find the listing of pharmacies for each province in Canada or to find the regulatory body for the particular province your pharmacy is located in.
The pharmacy should also provide a phone number on their website for you to call. A pharmacist should be available for you to speak to about your order. Ask the pharmacist about their credentials and ask for their license number. If you want, you can verify this license number with the provincial pharmacy regulator.
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