‘Compounded’ drugs: looks can deceive

Drug compounding the custom-mixing of drugs for specific patients predates the industrial production of pharmaceuticals, which started in the late 1800s. Government regulators have let the practice persist for a few reasons. The most often cited is the need for some patients to use medicines free of dyes, binders and other additives

In the last two decades, industrial-scale compounding has emerged as a big and in some eyes essential source of drugs.

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Here are basic steps a compounder could follow to make a drug.

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‘Compounded’ drugs: looks can deceive