11 Q3 2021 | Animal Health Solutions
There are many types of compounding pharmacies, so
how does a veterinarian identify quality when choosing
a compounding pharmacy to work with? The laws
and regulations that vary by state make it difficult to
establish a universal benchmark of quality for veterinary
compounding; however, there are things clinicians and
veterinary practices can look for to find a trustworthy
pharmacy or compounding partner. In this article,
which is the third in a series of four, a basic overview
of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) guidelines
compounding pharmacies must meet to produce safe,
effective, and consistent compounds will be discussed.
USP quality compounding components
Most quality components are based on human compounding laws, USP standards, and
best practices. This is how the current compounding system operates, regardless of
patient species.
Accreditation through the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) is the
only compounding-specific credential available for pharmacies.
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If a compounding
pharmacy is PCAB-accredited, which is usually noted on the pharmacy's website, the
pharmacy voluntarily adheres to a comprehensive set of nationally recognized standards
for the compounding pharmacy industry.
For more on accreditation, please refer to the previous article on compounding
regulations at cliniciansbrief.com/article/navigating-compounding-regulations-what-
veterinary-community-needs-know.
USP monographs
The USP is the repository for many monographs involving chemicals used
in contemporary compounding. Led by the USP compounding expert
committee, the USP publishes compounded preparation monographs, scientifically
backed formulations with ingredients, compounding directions, stability data, and
packaging/storage recommendations for a specific compound.
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USP monographs can be of particular use in veterinary compounding, in which dozens of
compounds are available but are dose-, route-, and ingredient-specific. Further, the USP
publishes studies of failed compounded formulations to help avoid the creation of poor
preparations.
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