Do you compound for other pharmacies?

Are you a compounding pharmacy who compounds for other stores in your banner group? Or provide compounded medication to other colleagues who do not offer a compounding service at their store but provide a “referral “service?

Both compounding pharmacists and “referral” pharmacists are reminded of their legislative obligations when entering into the provision of this type of third party service.

Recently there has been an increase in the number of complaints involving compounding pharmacists, some of which have been related to indirect supply of compounded products.

Compounding pharmacists are reminded that they must have the original prescription before the medication is supplied to the patient and the “referral” pharmacist is reminded that under no circumstances are they to relabel the compounded product, or take payment for the product.

Patients must be aware of who has prepared their medication, holding their medication records, and taking payment for the prescription.

The compounding pharmacist is responsible for contacting the patient in order to conduct a risk assessment and should provide counselling about appropriate use of the product.

Under no circumstances should compounding pharmacists provide large quantities of compounded product to be dispensed and labelled in a non-compounding store. This is in direct breach of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989.