Extemporaneous compounding in pharmacy practice

Key aspects of nonsterile extemporaneous compounding are discussed, from pharmacy setup to instructions, on compounding typical formulations that would be encountered in pharmacy practice. An emphasis is placed on preparing drug formulations using molds (e.g., suppositories, troches, and lollipops), and on the preparation of topical creams and ointments, describing techniques, such as levigation and geometric dilution. The compounding pharmacist or pharmacy technician is empowered to provide a better individualized patient care, when considering the route of entry, the specific needs of the patient, and the physicochemical properties of the drug and vehicle. The goal is to provide the patient with a stable, organoleptically favorable, and effective formulation.