I looked up some information to help an FML member who was curious
about compounding pharmacies: what they are, who works there, etc.
and when I was done it hit me that the info may also be of interest
to FHL members so I am sending this to both:

Okay, first a person has to know what compounded meds and compounding
pharmacies are.

Compounding Pharmacies in the U.S. are licensed pharmacies with
licensed and degreed pharmacologists.

They use the same meds as other pharmacies.

BUT they have a specialty: they pay extra attention to what ways and
how medications can be mixed with other ingredients to make them
palatable for those who need that extra care: infants, animals, those
individuals with dementia who are also argumentative, those who have
problems with nausea, and when home infusion is needed and the pharmacy
also does that: those who need things like IV meds at home, etc.

Some pharmacies do a little compounding, but some places specialize in
the field and those experts are the very best ones who best know what
to safely mix meds with and what to not mix certain meds with.

So, the meds and the experts are as trustworthy as those in other U.S.
licensed pharmacies, but with some added expertise on top.

That is why, besides finding such pharmacies in their own referral
lists such as the one which can be reached from the Files section of
the FHL or from their industry listings they are also found in
veterinarian's own references
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_compounding_pharmacies.html and
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=546&S=1 for example.

Sometimes they exceed the qualifications of other pharmacies, such as by
earning new types of ADDITIONAL accreditations:
http://newsblaze.com/story/2007051415130100001.sp/topstory.html

That article can also help show what compounding pharmacies are and do:
>Compounding medications is an integral part of the practice of
>pharmacy; an estimated 30 million to 40 million prescriptions are
>compounded each year. Yet many people may not even be aware of its
>role. Compounded medications are prescriptions that are written by
>physicians, veterinarians and other legally authorized prescribers and
>prepared for an individual patient by a specially trained pharmacist.
 ...
>Examples of situations in which compounded prescriptions are  
>necessary:
>
>* When a child needs a smaller dose of a medicine that is only
>commercially manufactured in adult-size doses. * When a person cannot
>tolerate the inactive ingredients (such as gluten or sugar) in
>manufactured medicines. * When a doctor believes a medicine is needed
>for his or her patient, but a manufacturer has discontinued the
>medicine for economic reasons. * When a pet needs a dose specific to
>their species (ex: bird or cat) that is otherwise not commercially
>available. Many pharmacies practice a small degree of compounding,
>while others specialize in the centuries-old practice.

and info on national accreditation as a compounding pharmacist:

>To earn PCAB Accreditation, Belvidere Pharmacy had to complete an
>extensive application, document its written policies and provide an
>analysis of its quality procedures that was then reviewed by the
>Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board and some of the leading
>individuals in the field of compounding. Next, the pharmacy opened its
>doors for an extensive on-site inspection led by compounding experts.
>Only when these stringent evaluations were completed did the Pharmacy
>Compounding Accreditation Board officially grant Belvidere Pharmacy
>the PCAB Seal of Accreditation and the right to use the designation
>"PCAB Accredited(TM) compounding pharmacy."

Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board:
http://www.pcab.org/

That is an industry group begun by 8 highly respected compounding
and pharmacy organizations: the National College of Apothocaries,
the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, the American
Pharmacists Association, the National Alliance of State Pharmacy
Associations, the National Community Pharmacists Assoc., the National
Home Infusion Assoc., National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, and
US Pharmacopeia. The PCAB helps set optimum standards of operation
for those in their own field.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5742]