# \[e-drug\] RFI: Formulas for compounding of Essential drugs? **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [August 27, 2007, 1:36pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-rfi-formulas-for-compounding-of-essential-drugs/28372 "2007-08-27T13:36:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter\_Frauch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5e9695/32.png) [@Peter\_Frauch](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Peter_Frauch)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 1:36pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-rfi-formulas-for-compounding-of-essential-drugs/28372/1 "2007-08-27T13:36:02Z")
E-DRUG: RFI: Formulas for compounding of Essential drugs? --------------------------------------------------------- Dear all The objective of this mail is to find out: Is there a website including a database with detailed information of composition, compounding procedures and quality specifications of essential medicine preparations adapted and proved for compounding on a small scale in hospital and community pharmacies? If no website of the type mentioned above yet exists, would you wish to have access to such a website open to nonprofit organisations in developing countries ? Your comment to these two questions would be very much appreciated. regards P. Frauch Peter Frauch, Pharm.D., Health professional, Fontanastrasse 12, CH-7000 Chur, Switzerland Email: openapo@bluewin.ch ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Forshaw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Chris\_Forshaw3](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Chris_Forshaw3)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 6:05am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-rfi-formulas-for-compounding-of-essential-drugs/28372/2 "2007-08-29T06:05:01Z")
E-DRUG: RFI: Formulas for compounding of Essential drugs? (2) ------------------------------------------------------------- Dear E-druggers Re: Formulas for Compounding of Essential Drugs In response to Peter's query, I hope the following may be helpful: A working definition of extemporaneous dispensing or compounding is the mixing together of the ingredients of a prescription or drug formula and generally refers to a manual process performed for individual orders by a dispenser or pharmacist (taken from p181 of Managing Drug Supply 2nd edition, Kumarian Press 1997). It may also be described as the small-scale manufacture of medicines from basic ingredients. According to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain publication Professional Standards and Guidance Documents (Aug 2007) section on Extemporaneous Preparation or Compounding, a product should only be extemporaneously prepared when there is no product with a marketing authorisation available and where it can be prepared in compliance with accepted standards. Other requirements include that: - products are prepared accurately and be suitable for use - staff must be competent to undertake the compounding - required facilities and equipment must be available - safety and appropriateness of the formula of the product must be ensured - ingredients are of acceptable quality and from recognised pharmaceutical suppliers - products are labelled with all necessary particulars including expiry date - special care and attention is given to substances which are hazardous or need special handling - records are kept for at least 2 years (these include: formula, ingredients, quantities used, source, batch number, expiry date, patient and prescription details, date of dispensing, personnel involved, identity of resposible pharmcist). Although these are standards applicable to UK, it is reasonable to assume that they could be applied equally in any other country. As the query relates to compounding of essential drugs these would by definition not include the type of products requiring compounding, ie. special products for individual patients (and not available from reputable commercial sources). The most likely need for compounding would probably be in some hospital pharmacies in response to an unusual prescription from a specialist consultant (eg. a unique dermatological preparation). I would expect that the need for compounding in most community pharmacies would be minimal as virtually all required products should be commercially available. Also if the the multiple requirements listed above are to be satisfied, compounding becomes a very costly and cost-ineffective process, which should therefore not be undertaken unless there is no alternative. However, should there still be a need to undertake compounding, information of many standard formulae can be obtained in earlier editions of Martindale (pre 29 edition?). It is interesting to note that later editions do not provide such information (presumably because it is no longer required?). Guidance on how to do compounding is contained in the publication "Pharmaceutical Practice, edited by AJ Winfield and RME Richards, 3rd edition, Churchill Livingstone 2004 ISBN 0-443-07206-X). Chapter 7, Dispensing techniques (compounding and good practice) gives detailed information on the relevant requirements and procedures needed to undertake satisfactory compounding. It also states that "extemporaneous dispensing, which cannot be well controlled, should only be used when such products are not available". regards Chris Forshaw Pharmaceutical Adviser MoH/Danida Health Sector Programme Support c/o Royal Danish Embassy Box 40412-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Mobile: +254 724 253 202 Tel/fax (home): +254 20 418 2059 Office direct: +254 20 272 4944 forshaw@hsps.or.ke ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Sina\_Academy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/45deac/32.png) [@Ibn\_Sina\_Academy](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Ibn_Sina_Academy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 8:56am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-rfi-formulas-for-compounding-of-essential-drugs/28372/3 "2007-08-29T08:56:39Z")
E-DRUG: RFI: Formulas for compounding of Essential drugs? (3) ------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Dr. Peter Frauch If there is no website on this topic then its a good idea to have a one on it. The online availability of WHO Model Formularies (Based on WHO Model List of Essential Medicines) such as 2002 and 2004 Edition, may be useful for the preparation of such website. [The WHO Formulary 2006(!) is available online or as an PDF download at: [http://mednet3.who.int/EMLib/wmf.aspx](http://mednet3.who.int/EMLib/wmf.aspx) WB] regards Syed Ziaur Rahman, MD Department of Pharmacology Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College AMU, Aligarh 202002, India ibnsinaacademy@gmail.com