The Compounding Controversy
Pharmacy is a booming field when it comes to medicine, but it certainly has controversial issues such as compounding drugs. While the practice of making drugs customized to a patient seems ethical, there are problems that come along with it. Drug compounding was the norm in the past, but over time consumers began to see issues with it. Drug compounding still occurs to this day because some patients do need medicine specifically tailored to their needs. Compounding has also been the focus of recent disasters, some of which occurred less than two years ago. Whatever side one may take on this issue, it is clear that compounding medicine will be a polarizing issue for years to come.
To begin, the Professional Compounding Centers of America defines compounding as “the art and science of preparing personalized medications for patients” (“What is Compounding?”). Drug compounding has a long history, which has been around for hundreds of years. The University Compounding Pharmacy (UCP) claims that “50% of all prescriptions were compounded in the 1940’s” (“History Of Compounding.”). Pharmacy owners, such as the pioneer Eli Lilly, helped compounding pharmacists get into manufacturing companies to create drugs at a rapid pace. Today, the Board of Pharmacy recognizes roughly 5000 compounding pharmacists, which fill 3% of the 4 billion prescriptions yearly. The UCP has produced over 100 compounding pharmacist technicians and 25 official compounding pharmacists. This organization is one of the largest compounding facilities in the United States (“History Of Compounding.”).
To continue, compounding would be needed if a patient wants to change something about the medicine such as flavor or strength. It is vital that s...
... middle of paper ...
...ey. "Compounding Pharmacists Await Changes After Fungal Meningitis Scandal."
ABC News. ABC News Network, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
.
"Pharmacy tied to fungal meningitis outbreak files for bankruptcy." NBC News. NBC, 21 Dec.
2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2014. pharmacy-tied-to-fungal-meningitis-outbreak-files-for-bankruptcy>. "Regulatory Information." FD&C Act Chapter V: Drugs and Devices. U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
"What is Compounding? - PCCA - Professional Compounding Centers of America." What is
Compounding? - PCCA - Professional Compounding Centers of America. PCCA, n.d.
Web. 1 Apr. 2014. .
The analysis is therefore one of the most effective methods of ensuring that each drug being prescribed to patients is safe. It also ensures that all drug components are understood in terms of their structure and chemical behavior. This understanding is very important in the manufacture of drugs and other pharmaceutical products.
Dr. John Abramson’s book Overdosed America debunks the myths about the excellence of American medicine. Abramson backs up this claim by closely examining research about medicine, closely examining the unpublished details submitted by drug manufacturers to the FDA, and discovering that the unpublished data does not coincide with the claims made about the safety and effectiveness of commonly used medicines. Abramsons purpose is to point out the flaws of the pharmaceutical industry in order to warn the readers about the credibility of the drugs they are buying. Given the critical yet technical language of the book, Abramson is writing to an audience that may include academic physicians as well as those who want to learn about the corruption of the pharmaceutical industry.
This paper discusses pharmacology and terminology related to “Pharmacology” which is the branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs“ pharmacology. 2015. In Merriam-Webster.com. The study of different classes of drugs, routes of absorption, and drugs have effects on those consuming them. There are drugs that are necessary for illnesses and healing but, there are medicines that cause concern regarding interaction and harming the body.
According to Accuracy at Every Step: The Challenge of Medication Reconciliation (n.d.), the most challenge is called medication reconciliation, which is a formal steps of gathering information related to the patient’s medication with accurate current medication list and compared to the doctor’s admission, transfer and discharge orders. Its aim is to prevent medication errors. There are three steps process- Verification (gather medication history), Clarification (confirm the medication with doses, properly) and Reconciliation (documenting with medication information). This challenge is important to obtain accurate information on all patients entering the hospital. Information technology may play an important role in improving
Although writing a prescription may be an easy way to put a bandaid on a problem, people tend to forget that medication can’t be responsible for curing our nation. Slowly we are becoming a country where pills are handed out like candy, causing a severe series of negative effects and downfalls. Ray Bradbury, the author of the award winning novel Fahrenheit 451, is definitely in agreement. In 1951, when the novel was written, Bradbury was able to make the prediction that the innocent use of medication would soon turn into an extreme drug epidemic, and unfortunately he wasn’t wrong. The overuse of drugs in the United States, such as mental illness medication
Precision of a patient’s intravenous medication is essential; it must be safe from. contamination, toxicity, and side effects. Most people believe these medications are compounded or mixed by a trained and licensed individual. However, this is inaccurate because the pharmacy technician actually compounds a large percentage of a patient’s medications. Compounding involves a technician’s math skills, aseptic technique, and professional ethics.... ...
Discuss the possible drug and excipient-related constrains of the formulation (no identity of the drug was given to you at this
“Pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) can be seen as two sides of the same coin. PK and PD have a definite relationship, assessing how much drug gets to the site of action and then what that action is. Both activities are essential in the complete investigation of the interaction between the drug and body, and play significant roles in both drug development and their continual use in the clinical setting (Institute Of Clinical Research, Clinical Pharmacology Special Interest Group, Pharmacokinetics vs. Pharmacodynamics).”
Adverse drug events or medication errors that result from polypharmacy can often be difficult to predict and prevent. According to an article posted in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (2012), drug –drug interactions may lead to increased toxicity levels when taken together. An example is the interactio...
Since my early schooling days, science and mathematics have always fascinated me given that all components of the world are explained on the basis of these disciplines. In this regard, Pharmacy which is based on Chemistry and Mathematics has interested me a great deal as it has direct impacts on our daily lives. The more I have become familiar with the chemistry and mathematics knowledge involved in pharmacy, the more I have appreciated its significance in improving the lives of people in the community. Out of the many careers that one would opt to pursue, Pharmacy has stood out as the career that will enable me serve the society more directly and have a real impact in the quality of peoples’ lives by touching their health. In addition, I love a career that is challenging and one that I will be involved in even in old age. In this case, Pharmacy offers me this opportunity. My interest in Pharmacy has also developed from my personal health experiences and becoming aware of its expansiveness. Every time I have had to take medicine to cure an illness, I have become more interested to know how drugs are made and how the drug components work in the human body to alleviate pain and restore health. I desire to pursue a career in Pharmacy so as to gain practical experience in these aspects of research.
To many people all a pharmacist does is count pills or dispense medication. But the profession of pharmacy has moved tremendously beyond just dispensing medications to providing more patient oriented services. Pharmacists think it is time for a change and are coming together to fight for what many believe should already be considered a responsibility of a pharmacist. As healthcare professionals many pharmacists are not recognized as health care providers and consequently are limited in scope of practice, as well as compensation.1 However, this is not a universal or federal responsibility.1
What if you went to the doctor for a cold and the doctor told you the cause were evil spirits? In medieval times this would have been the case. It is now known that these illnesses are caused by bacteria and viruses; but, back then the concept would be considered witchcraft or insanity. The Treatment of common ailments has drastically changed from medieval Europe to modern times.
Thanks to modernized medicine, there are several different drugs that can be implemented in various ways to help people in personalized means.
“Website.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Pharmacists, 29 Nov. 2013.Web. 29 Nov. 2013.
Pharmacists often work together in a team with other healthcare professional like physicians and nurses. In the process, pharmacists will give advice to them on the selection of medication, by providing the evidences based on the dosage form, the side effects and possible interaction with food of the medication. On the other hand, pharmacists also take part in research and clinical studies. Recently, pharmacists are recruited to conduct pharmacy-based research in pharmacies. (Swanson, 2005)