What Is Compounding?

What Does Compounding Mean?

Compounding means “creating a unique medication to meet the patient’s specific needs under a valid prescription from a provider”. This may include creating unique strengths, dosage forms, flavoring of medications, etc. that are not commercially manufactured or are currently on the FDA drug shortage list.

Compounding pharmacies provide individualized treatment options for patients who may not be benefitting from a manufactured medication or where a more personalized treatment plan needs to be provided and a manufactured medication does not meet those requirements.

Compounding does not include making a copy of a commercially available drug product. Avrio Pharmacy follows the strict rules and regulations surrounding compounding, which includes adhering to the United States Pharmacopeia chapters <795> and <797> for non-sterile and sterile compounding.

What Can Compounding Do?

Here are a few examples of how Avrio Pharmacy can customize medications based on a doctor’s prescription to meet a patient’s needs:

Customize the strength.

Create a compounded medication that provides a more patient-specific strength than what is available from a manufacturer.

Customize the dosage form

Create a compounded liquid medication for someone who cannot swallow a tablet or capsule.

Exclude unwanted or nonessential ingredients.

Create a compounded capsule that excludes lactose, gluten, or a dye to which a patient is allergic or has an intolerance.

Create a medication that does not harm the intended patient

Create a compounded liquid for your dog that does not contain the toxic ingredient “xylitol” which may be in the manufactured version of a medication.

Combine more than one ingredient to reduce the number of medications required

Create a compound with 3 different hormones, so instead of taking 3 different capsules, you can take one each day and help to improve compliance and overall satisfaction.

What Is The Process of Getting a Compounded Prescription?

Consult with your provider and if a compounded medication is medically appropriate for your care you can ask them to send your compounded prescription to Avrio Pharmacy.

Send In Your Prescription

Your prescription can be phoned in by your provider, faxed by your provider, sent electronically by your provider, or you may drop off a hand-written prescription at the pharmacy. We suggest the first 3 options as compounded medications typically take longer to prepare.

Confirm Prescription Details

Our team will create your profile and reach out to you within 24 business hours to start the process. Due to the nature of compounding medications, we do need to confirm the details of the prescription with you before we start our compounding process.

Review Details

Our team will review the details of the prescription with you, including cost, estimated time to prepare the medication and options for you to receive the medication (shipping or pick-up).

Clinical Safety Review

Our pharmacists will review the prescription clinically before we start compounding the medication to check for any dosing or direction concerns on the prescription. If one of our pharmacists needs to consult with your provider, this may delay the prescription process. We will be consulting with your provider in these instances for your safety.

We Prepare The Medication

The compounding team will then review your prescription order and begin to prepare the medication. We will gather all of the necessary ingredients, any equipment needed, and any other supplies necessary to make the compound.

We Compound Your Medication

Our team will perform any necessary calculations and weigh out precise amounts of each ingredient.

Preparation Review

Once the compounding process is completed, the final preparation is reviewed again by our pharmacist team before beginning to fill the prescription.

Secondary Review

Once the compounding process is completed, the final preparation is reviewed again by our pharmacist team before beginning to fill the prescription.

Bottle/Applicator Etc. Preparation

Our team will prepare the medication in the required applicator, bottle, syringe, etc that we will be dispensing the medication to you.

Final Review And Delivery

The filled medication then receives a final review from our pharmacist team before shipping or alerting you to come pick up the prescription.

Explore Our FAQs!

1. Do I need a prescription for compounded medications?

All compounded medications do require a prescription from your provider. Providers may phone, fax, electronically send (ERX) via electronic medical records system (EMR), or provide you a hand written prescription. To best streamline your experience, we recommend having your provider send the prescription directly to our pharmacy. Avrio also carries a variety of over-the-counter vitamins, supplements, medications, and supplies that can be included with your order as requested.

2. How do I get started?

Ask your provider to send your compounded medication prescriptions to Avrio Pharmacy via one of the ways listed above. Once we receive the prescription, our team will create your patient profile and contact you directly to complete profile registration and next steps. If you have any additional questions, our customer service team will be more than happy to help.

3. I have more questions. How can I get in contact with you?

You or your provider may reach our pharmacy team at (480) 270-6700 Monday-Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm Arizona time and Saturday 9:00am to 2:00pm. We have dedicated phone lines for both patients and providers to connect you to the most appropriate team (human compounding, veterinary medicine, retail pharmacy). We are closed for major holidays, which may impact our phone hours. Our lobby is open for service Mondays-Fridays 8:00am-6:00pm and Saturday 9:00am-2:00pm, Arizona local time.

4. I am ready to switch to Avrio Pharmacy for my compounding prescription. How do I start the transfer process?

We cannot wait to be your compounding pharmacy! If you are currently filling a compounded medication at another pharmacy for yourself, a family member, or pet and would like to start using Avrio Pharmacy, here are a few steps to take:

The quickest process would be to request a new prescription from your provider and have it sent directly to our pharmacy. If you’re unable to do so, please see the following information on requesting a prescription transfer.
To request a prescription transfer: Please first ensure that you have remaining refills on file at the pharmacy we will be contacting. Call our pharmacy team at 480-270-6700 and inform the Avrio employee that you wish to have a compounded prescription transferred to Avrio Pharmacy. We recommend you start this process 7 business days prior to running out of medication to allow time to get the prescription on file and to prepare the compounded medication. The sooner the better to avoid any potential gaps in therapy.

Our team will gather pertinent information to either obtain a new script from your provider, or to get the prescription transferred from another pharmacy. Due to differences in compounding formulations from one compounding pharmacy to another, we may wish to consult with your provider for a new prescription instead of accepting a transfer from another pharmacy.

Access Updated Formulary Downloads!

Working Hours

MON-FRI

8:00AM-6:00PM

SAT

9:00AM-2:00PM

SUNDAY

Closed

* For emergencies, call 911 or visit a medical center. Learn how to handle expired meds here.