Compound medications are a convenient tool that pharmacists and physicians use to provide patients with access to customized prescriptions to address their unique medical conditions. However, not every drug can be prescribed as a compounded medication because not all medications work for everyone. Compounded drugs are regulated by the FDA and must pass the exact guidelines that govern commercially sold drugs to be considered an approved medication.
Compounded Drugs and Their Benefits
The FDA allows only accredited and registered compounding pharmacies to produce these medications. A compounded drug is one that contains a different compound from the original. Compounds are typically mixed to produce a single drug or are mixed to form a new compound altogether. Because they are new compounds, these medications cannot be marketed without the FDA’s approval processes.
There are several reasons why compounded medications benefit a patient. The following list explains these advantages in detail.
- Are Compounded Medications Covered By Insurance? Because medications contain a variety of different chemicals, there are varying levels of coverage by most health insurance plans. If a patient has a prescription, but the drug plan does not cover it, they may still be able to receive a compounded medication, but it will have to be purchased separately. Compounding pharmacies are fully licensed by the FDA and can sell any medication, not just those that are covered by health insurance.
- Can Patients Take Their Prescription With Them? It used to be that if a patient wanted a certain medication, they had to go to the pharmacy and purchase it from them. Today, however, all compounding pharmacies offer an online ordering system that allows patients to order medications online from their computer at home and have the medication shipped right to their door. This convenience allows patients to make use of their medication when they have it, whenever they have it.
- Is There an Increase in Drug Abuse and Addiction? When compounded medications first became popular, they were often abused by individuals who bought them illegally or over the counter (OTC) medications. Because compounded medications are not as easily abused as OTC medications, many doctors have started prescribing them more often to their patients to help reduce the negative effects of drugs on their families and themselves. This is probably because it is difficult to obtain OTC medication in quantities large enough doses to create an addiction.
- What Are Compounded Medications Covered by Insurance? What about Insurance When the Compounding Pharmacy Owner Decides To Change Their Pharmacy Address? If the pharmacy owner decides to change their location, their medication can also be discontinued at that location. {without having to notify the insurance company. This type of discontinued medication is usually covered by the manufacturer of the medication. It depends upon which medications the company offers for discontinued medications, and how the new pharmacy address the problem. Are They Covered by Medicare, Medicaid, Or Private Insurance? A great many health insurance plans do offer some type of coverage for drugs that are compounded. {as prescribed by a physician or pharmacy. Most plans will pay for the entire cost of a compounded medication. Most health care plans have a standard co-payment formula for these medications so that the patient and the insurance company share the cost.
- Can Prescription Medication Be Compounding? Yes, it can be, but it must be done through a licensed pharmacy or an approved compounding pharmacy. The most common method of compounding drugs is using “orphan” medications. These drugs may be in an inactive state, yet still able to produce results that look like those of the original drug. The main difference is that the compound does not contain any active ingredients, only inert components.
- Do Compound Medications Cause Any Damage? The short answer to this question is no. While compounded medications may be expensive to produce, the expense is minimal compared to the amount of money saved by reducing the amount of time needed to treat and cure various ailments through the use of prescribed drugs. {or, eliminating the need for frequent doctor visits. and/or the need for hospitalization. Besides, there is also little risk involved with using compounded medications, because the finished medication has already been made by a third party.
So what are compounded medications, and why are they being used today? Although the long-term effects of these products have not been established, the use of these medications has increased in recent years and is still increasing today. In the past few years, some pharmacies have even started producing their medications for patients who prefer to use them rather than purchasing prescription medications. The popularity of compounded medications will likely continue to rise because they have proven to be useful, affordable, and beneficial to a variety of patients