Since the change to the laws two years ago, people have become more aware of the options available when using a compounding pharmacy. The Drug Quality and Security Act provides many safeguards to prevent outbreaks such as the fungal meningitis infection caused by steroid injections in October of 2012. What changed? Read below:
The FDA Gets Involved
Until the fungal meningitis outbreak, the federal government and FDA were not involved in monitoring compounding pharmacies. The quality testing for compounding pharmacies was left up to local agencies. Once the inspection of the pharmacy responsible for the outbreak was completed, it became clear that federal regulation was necessary. Congress passed a bill allowing larger compounding pharmacies to register with the FDA to oversee their facilities.
Standardized Safety Requirements
The law provides a new list of federal guidelines that must be met. One of these guidelines is the ability to track medications throughout the distribution process. Drug manufacturers will be required to attach serial numbers to each drug within four years. This will allow us to keep our customers informed. This is particularly important for a compounding pharmacy as we use a variety of medications in each compounded prescription.
Compounded Medication Benefits
There are many proven benefits of using a compounded medication. The most important benefit is the ability to get the treatment you need without the side effects of oral medications. Typical medications carry the risk of side effects ranging from headache and nausea to blood clots and more. By using compounded medications that are applied topically or injected locally, you can avoid these potentially serious side effects.
Our compounding pharmacy has always striven to meet the utmost safety standards for each prescription we make. The new law simply requires each compounding pharmacy to follow the same guidelines. We will continue to go above and beyond to ensure the safety and health of our patients.
Call Us Now To Learn More About The Benefits Of Our Compounding Pharmacy!
Chief Operating Officer, The Compounding Pharmacy of America
Matthew Poteet, Pharm.D. graduated with Honors from Lee University with a Bachelors of Science in Biological Science. After his undergraduate training, he completed the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, graduating in 2004. Dr. Poteet has spent much of his pharmacy career on staff at two of the most prestigious academic teaching hospitals in the Southeast; Emory University in Atlanta and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. At these institutions he received extensive experience and training in sterile products compounding.
He returned home to East Tennessee in 2010, where he has held the position of Pharmacy Director at two sterile products pharmacies in Knoxville. Matthew lives in Knoxville with his wife, Chris. Dr. Poteet is Tennessee’s first Board Certified Anti-Aging Pharmacist by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
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