Compounding Pharmacy Solutions - Camelback Pharmacy
Learn about our pharmacy and how your prescriptions are customized for you:
What is a compounding pharmacy and pharmacist?
- A compounding pharmacy is a pharmacy that makes (compounds) medications tailored specifically for a patient as prescribed.
- A compounding pharmacist is a pharmacist who works in a compounding pharmacy and is able to calculate and understand how to formulate, verify, and compound customized medications.
Why are compounding medications necessary? Are they safe?
- Compounded medications are prescribed for many reasons. Some common reasons can include: intolerance and/or allergies to commercially available drugs, combining multiple medications into a single one, making medications free of dyes or various fillers, unavailability of commercial drugs, and providing a unique dosage for a patient. There are additional reasons a compounded medication may be prescribed.
- Compounding pharmacies are subject to regulation by state boards of pharmacy along with the FDA, and so all medications meet strict requirements for safe usage by consumers. In addition, certain compounding pharmacies will stand out from the rest due to their specific knowledge, skill, efficiency, and know-how.
How are medications compounded, what guidelines/regulations are followed?
- Compounded medications are generally made using bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients (also known as APIs) and mixing them with inactive bases and wetting agents to create the custom medication. Since most dermatology compounds are topical, the majority of them consist of APIs mixed into a pharmaceutical base with the use of a wetting agent. Next, they are milled to reduce the API particle size for superior absorption and a smoother texture. Finally, they are mixed again before placement into the final container for dispensing.
- Compounding pharmacies are regulated by the state board of pharmacy and the FDA. In Arizona, the board of pharmacy has several requirements for compounding pharmacies including training, cleaning, potency, documentation and many more. There are also recommended best practice guidelines, established by companies such as PCCA and the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, that should be followed by compounding pharmacies.
Are compounded dermatology medications? Has it been a game-changer for patient care in dermatology?
- Compounded dermatology medications are absolutely safe. For many patients, compounding can be a game changer. Rather than the one-size-fits-all model with commercial medication, compounding can combine active ingredients into a single product while utilizing pharmaceutical bases that fit the specific needs of the patient.
Can compounded medications be more effective than commercial, one ingredient medications? Are they more effective?
- Compounded, multiple ingredient medications can be advantageous over commercial, single ingredient medications as they save a patient from having to use multiple items. This results in lower costs, time savings, and improved adherence – which is generally the key to improved patient outcomes. Compounded medications can also be easily adjusted to accommodate a patient’s specific needs without having to modify the rest of the compound.
Meet Jace, our partnering pharmacist at Camelback Compounding Pharmacy
We also learned more about Jace and Camelback Pharmacy; here is his story:
Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you into the field of compounding pharmacy?
- I started my career working at Albertsons/Osco pharmacies and became a pharmacy manager along with a diabetic educator. After a few years, I became a pharmacist at a local independent compounding pharmacy. It was during this time when I established the foundation of my knowledge about compounding medications. After the independent pharmacy, I worked at an outpatient pharmacy for a very large hospital system. I introduced some compounding items to the hospital for both inpatient and outpatient use that helped alleviate shortages and provided ways around cost barriers. I was promoted to the pharmacy manager and lead pharmacist for a very large operation. Although I loved this role, I missed working in a smaller, independent operation lines and interacting directly with patients. I happened to come across Camelback Compounding Pharmacy by pure chance as the owner was retiring and looking to train someone to take over so he could sell it and retire. I worked for Camelback Compounding Pharmacy for about six months before purchasing and taking over in May of 2023.
What is your day to day like?
- My day-to-day can vary quite a bit since I’m both a pharmacist and an owner! However, the majority of my day is spent as a pharmacist, which primarily consists of interacting with patients, data entry, prescription verification, formula research, counseling patients and prescribers, and purchasing items needed for the pharmacy. A small part of my day is spent doing operational and administrative work. In total, most days are around 10 hours per day Monday through Friday, and about 6-8 hours on Saturdays.
What makes Camelback Pharmacy unique? What are your pharmacy's values and promises to the clientele?
- Camelback Compounding Pharmacy prides itself on being available to both patients and prescribers to assist in any way possible. We provide excellent customer service and have industry leading turnaround times. While some pharmacies struggle with long call wait times, we always have a pharmacist available to answer questions and concerns with little to no wait time. As a result, we’ve become a go-to source of knowledge for many prescribers in the Phoenix area. We are strong believers in providing the highest quality products and strictly follow all best practice guidelines by both the PCCA and the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding.
- We promise to deliver patients exactly what is prescribed and discussed prior to compounding an item. The price and compounded medication are always disclosed and discussed before the process goes any further. Patients know they are getting exactly what they are ordering or has been prescribed for them.
What is your favorite dermatology compounded medication offered by Aury Health and why?
- It’s very hard to pick a single favorite compound provided by Aury Health since there are so many great formulas they have developed over many hours of research. That said, I believe most of the products containing tretinoin with hyaluronic acid and any of the other active ingredients offered will really make patients happy.
If you can have any compounded medication, which one would it be and why?
- My favorite compounded medication is one that makes the patient happy with the product! I want patients to feel that tremendous value was provided with the compounding service.