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Prescribers say—and ask for—the darnedest things
There is not a week that goes by when a prescriber calls and questions the legitimacy of compounding, or asks me to compound HCG or tesamorelin.
Let’s talk about these issues.
Yes, even today with compounding standards enhanced and most compounders really stepping up their game to ensure quality and safety, some question whether compounding of medications is legitimate. They see our profession as the “wild west” with no rules or regulation. You and I know nothing is further from the truth. We are among the most regulated professions in the world.
Anti-aging prescribers are also attempting to use peptides in their practices. They hear about peptides at conferences or read about them and believe they are the best therapeutic option to help their patients. Often times, they want to obtain peptides through a compounding pharmacy. They don’t understand when I tell them that I cannot compound these agents and that, in fact, it is illegal under federal law. In the few cases where it may be legal under federal law, the compounder may only be able to obtain analytical grade chemicals and not USP/NF grade peptides also required by law.
I’ve always wondered what to tell my physicians who push back and say “Joe’s Pharmacy in California is doing it, why can’t you?” Many of you have made the same inquiry to APC and we heard you.
APC has created two member-only documents entitled:
- The Truth About Pharmacy Compounding: A briefing for physicians and other prescribers
- Compounding Peptides: It’s Complicated: A briefing for physicians and other prescribers
These are simple to read and concise documents which contain valuable information for your practitioners to help educate them on the issues. You can co-brand them with your pharmacy’s logo. They are a great way to retain a relationship with your practitioners when they don’t understand what we do and we and why we can’t do what we can’t. Click here to learn more and to access the briefs.
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David Miller is APC’s president and the managing co-owner of Keystone Compounding Pharmacy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. You can reach him at drdave@keystonepharm.com.
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