# Compounding (Pharmacy) **Compounding** is a specialized branch of pharmacy practice dedicated to the preparation of custom medications tailored to the unique clinical requirements of individual patients. Performed within a compounding pharmacy by a licensed pharmacist or technician, this process creates personalized therapeutic solutions that are not met by commercially available, mass-produced formulations. ### Clinical Applications and Purpose Pharmacists utilize compounding to address specific physiological needs, allergies, or administration challenges. Common applications include: * **Alternative Dosage Forms:** Converting solid medications (tablets or capsules) into liquid suspensions, topicals, or suppositories for patients who have difficulty swallowing or require localized application. * **Allergen Avoidance:** Reformulating medications to exclude non-active ingredients, such as dyes, preservatives, gluten, or lactose, to which a patient may be allergic or sensitive. * **Precision Dosing:** Providing exact strengths or concentrations of a drug that are not manufactured by pharmaceutical companies, often necessary for pediatric, geriatric, or veterinary patients. * **Flavor Customization:** Improving the palatability of medications for children or animals to ensure better treatment compliance. ### Regulatory Context Compounded medications are distinct from FDA-approved manufactured drugs. While they are prepared under strict professional standards to fulfill a practitioner's prescription, they do not undergo the same mass-production regulatory processes as "off-the-shelf" drugs, allowing for greater flexibility in personalized medicine.