Is There Danger At Your Pet’s Pharmacy?
We trust that medications for our families and our pets are made with the highest regard for purity and safety. But, several recent high profile cases have unnerved many people and created a negative spotlight for compounding pharmacies. So, can you trust the medications your veterinarian orders for your pet?
By: Dr. Jim Humphries, Veterinary News Network
From the very first time our ancient ancestors mixed certain tree barks with water to create a pain-deadening tea, the art and science of pharmacology have flourished. Through great civilizations like Rome, into the Middle Ages and straight through to modern times, the pharmacist (or “chemist”) has been an integral part of patient care in both human and veterinary practices.
Most people do not realize there are two types of pharmacies. Compounding pharmacies are those that actually make, mix or "compound" therapeutic medications "in-house" as compared to those that simply count and dispense prepared medications.
This concept is not new…in fact, for most of this profession's history, pharmacists used their knowledge of chemicals and base ingredients to create the appropriate drug ordered by the doctor. It has only been within the last 50 years that pharmacists have moved from being compounders of medicines to dispensers of pre-made drugs.
But even the modernization and convenience of prepared pharmaceutical drugs did not remove the need for many special or out of production drugs to be made on site. Some patients have allergies to ingredients in the medications. Others, especially children and veterinary patients, require unique flavorings to help disguise bitter drugs and improve compliance. And, as the age old joke describes, giving a pill to a cat can be a hair-raising experience!
In fact, compounding pharmacies account for approximately 30 million prescriptions a year across the United States. From bio-identical hormones for human patients to tuna-flavored antibiotics for pets, compounding is an important part of the medical community.
Many veterinarians rely on compounding pharmacies to formulate patient friendly medications.
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