Jun 25, 2020
Compounding medications allows physicians to customize
formulations for individual patients. In this resident takeover,
Daniel R. Mazori, MD, talks to Nadine Shabeeb, MD, MPH,
about compounding topicals in dermatology. They discuss
clinical scenarios in which these treatments may be warranted as
well as potential drug combinations. “What’s cool about compounding
for [conditions such as acne, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation] is
that there are oftentimes multiple etiologies that lead to patients
developing those conditions, and with compounding you can mix
multiple things together to target some of those different
factors,” Dr. Shabeeb says. They also discuss potential
disadvantages and regulations for compounded medications.
* *
*
This week in Dermatology News:
* * *
Key takeaways from this episode:
- Compounding is a way of mixing or combining different
medications and formulations that are not commonly available at
most pharmacies.
- Advantages of topical compounded medications include
simplifying treatment regimens, prescribing treatments for rare
conditions that are not commonly available, bypassing potential
insurance issues, and creating topical versions of oral
medications.
- Safety and efficacy data for compounded medications are
lacking. “This is usually because of the unique nature of what’s
being compounded, because multiple different things are oftentimes
combined together, so there’s no published data about how safe and
also how efficacious these are compared to just one single
formulation being used,” Dr. Shabeeb explains.
- Compounded medications are not covered by insurance, and
out-of-pocket cost may be prohibitive for some patients. “That
being said, it may be lower than the cost of a branded medication
that’s not covered by insurance, but it may be more than a generic
medication that is covered by insurance,” Dr. Shabeeb says.
- Compounding pharmacies follow safety standards set by the U.S.
Pharmacopeia, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits
physicians from prescribing compounded medicines that are approved,
adulterated, or misbranded drugs. “Compounded medications can’t
mimic a branded medication. It has to be either a unique
formulation, or combination, or strength,” Dr. Shabeeb
explains.
- Compounding pharmacists can be a great resource for
dermatologists in terms of combining appropriate treatments for
patients.
Hosts: Nick Andrews;
Daniel R. Mazori, MD (State University of New York Downstate
Medical Center, Brooklyn)
Guests: Nadine
Shabeeb, MD, MPH (University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics,
Madison)
Disclosures: Dr. Mazori reports no conflict of
interest. Dr. Shabeeb reports no conflict of interest.
Show notes by:
Alicia Sonners, Melissa Sears
* * *
You can find more of our podcasts at http://www.mdedge.com/podcasts
Email the show: podcasts@mdedge.com
Interact with us on Twitter: @MDedgeDerm