A medication doesn't have to come from a factory.
Pharmacy compounding is the creation of a personalized medication, prepared by a pharmacist to a prescriber's exact specification. When a manufactured drug doesn't fit — the wrong dose, the wrong form, an allergy, a shortage, a discontinued medication — a compounding pharmacy can make what the patient actually needs.
by hand
This page describes compounding capabilities, not treatment recommendations. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved drug products.
Manufactured drugs come in a handful of strengths, in a handful of forms, with a handful of inactive ingredients. That's enough for most patients — but not all of them. A compounded medication is one we prepare ourselves, in our lab, from the active ingredient and excipients up. It can be a custom dose, a different delivery form (cream, lozenge, suspension, suppository), a discontinued medication, or a formula tailored to a patient's allergies and tolerances.
Compounding is the original practice of pharmacy. It's also one of the most demanding — which is why we do it ourselves rather than outsourcing.
The right dose, in the right form.
Manufactured drugs come in standardized strengths and forms. We can prepare any dose your prescriber specifies — half of a tablet's strength, double, or anywhere in between — and in the form that works best for the patient: a liquid for a child, a cream for absorption through skin, a lozenge for the elderly.
Without the ingredients you can't tolerate.
Mass-produced drugs include dyes, fillers, lactose, and preservatives that some patients react to. We compound from the active pharmaceutical ingredient up, so we can leave out what doesn't agree with the patient and use bases compatible with allergies and sensitivities.
When the medication isn't made anymore.
Drugs get discontinued. Manufacturers leave the market. Shortages happen. For many of those medications, we can reproduce the formula from the active pharmaceutical ingredient — so the patient who relied on it for years doesn't have to switch to something that doesn't work as well.
Can't swallow a pill.
Pediatrician prescribed omeprazole for reflux, but the only tablet available is the wrong dose and too large to swallow.
Allergic to a dye in the brand-name HRT.
Patient developed a rash from the commercial estradiol patch within a week. Doctor switched her to compounded therapy.
His Parkinson's medication is off the market.
The brand his neurologist prescribed for 12 years was discontinued. The replacements don't control his tremor as well.
Won't swallow the thyroid pill.
Hyperthyroid cat needs methimazole twice daily. Owner can't pill her. Vet asked for a transdermal preparation.
Prepared here, not outsourced.
Every compound is prepared in our Slauson Avenue lab under USP standards — with a dedicated USP <800> hazardous-drug clean-room when a prescriber orders an HD preparation. Bella Grigoryan, our Pharmacist-in-Charge, serves as clinical reviewer on compounded orders.
Compounded medications are prepared from individual prescriptions and are not FDA-approved drug products.
Capsules
Custom-strength capsules in any milligram dose. Vegetarian, dye-free, allergen-conscious, and slow-release shells available.
OralOral suspensions
Liquid medication, dose-titratable by the milliliter. Flavored bubblegum, cherry, grape, or unflavored. Dye- and sugar-free options.
OralTroches & lozenges
Dissolve under the tongue or on the cheek. Useful when GI absorption is poor or for hormones that bypass the liver.
SublingualTopical creams
Anhydrous, Lipoderm, HRT-Heaven, and PLO bases for transdermal absorption. Common for HRT, pain compounds, and pediatric medications.
TopicalGels & ointments
For topical pain compounds, hormone therapies, dermatology preparations, and vaginal applications.
TopicalSuppositories
Rectal or vaginal delivery for patients who can't take medication orally — nausea, post-surgical, or for localized treatment.
Rectal / VaginalLollipops & chewables
For children who won't take medication any other way, or for cats and dogs. Flavored to mask bitter actives.
Pediatric / VetNasal sprays
For sinus, anti-inflammatory, allergy, and migraine therapies. Compounded with preservative-free vehicles for sensitive patients.
IntranasalMouthwashes & rinses
"Magic mouthwash" combinations for chemotherapy mucositis, dental procedures, and oral pain — compounded to prescriber specification.
Oral rinseEar drops
Compounded otic (ear) preparations. Useful for preservative-sensitive patients and discontinued formulations.
OticVeterinary chews
Chicken-, tuna-, or peanut butter-flavored soft chews for dogs and cats. Custom strengths and combinations.
VeterinaryPrescription received
Your prescriber sends the Rx via eRx, fax, or phone. We'll confirm receipt when we get your Rx.
Consultation
If the formula is novel, our pharmacist consults with the prescriber on excipients, vehicle, and tolerability.
Compounded
Prepared by hand in our lab, under USP <795> and <800> standards.
QA & dispensed
Final check by a pharmacist. Beyond-use date assigned. Labeled, sealed, and ready for pickup or delivery.
Non-sterile compounding.
The standard for non-sterile preparations — creams, capsules, oral suspensions, troches, gels.
- Documented standard operating procedures
- Beyond-use dating per stability data
- Licensed by the California State Board of Pharmacy
Hazardous drugs.
The standard for handling NIOSH-listed hazardous drugs — chemotherapy adjuvants, certain hormones, antivirals.
- Negative-pressure containment room
- Closed-system transfer devices
- Surface wipe testing for residue
- Dedicated PPE & staff training
PCAB & USP <795>/<800>
PCAB-accredited non-sterile compounding. Non-sterile (<795>) and hazardous-drug (<800>) preparations all dispensed under U.S. Pharmacopeia standards. Licensed by the California State Board of Pharmacy.
API sourcing & potency testing
Active pharmaceutical ingredients sourced exclusively from FDA-registered facilities. Independent third-party testing for complex formulations.
Beyond-use dating
Every preparation receives a beyond-use date based on USP guidelines and, for complex formulas, stability data from third-party testing.
- API acronym
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient. The chemical that actually does the work in a medication — what we measure, weigh, and combine with a base to make the final preparation.
- BUD acronym
- Beyond-Use Date. The date after which a compounded preparation should not be used. Assigned per USP guidelines and, for complex formulas, third-party stability data.
- Base / vehicle
- The inactive carrier that delivers the API. For a cream, the base might be Lipoderm or HRT-Heaven; for a suspension, it might be Ora-Sweet or an alcohol-free SyrSpend SF.
- Anhydrous
- Containing no water. Anhydrous bases are used for preparations that would be unstable in the presence of water — most notably certain hormones and some antibiotics.
- PLO gel
- Pluronic Lecithin Organogel. A transdermal delivery vehicle that helps medications cross the skin barrier. Common for pain compounds, anti-emetics, and veterinary transdermals.
- Troche
- A medicated lozenge that dissolves in the mouth. Useful for medications absorbed through the oral mucosa or for patients who can't swallow pills.
- Mold
- A reusable form into which a compound is poured to set — for suppositories, troches, lollipops, and gummies. Different molds shape and size the final preparation.
- BHRT acronym
- Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. Hormones with the same molecular structure as the body's own, compounded to a prescriber's dose for individual patients.
PCAB-accredited compounding pharmacy
The Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board — accredited for patient-specific non-sterile compounding.
California State Board of Pharmacy
California State Board of Pharmacy. State-licensed pharmacy.
Member · American College of Apothecaries
National professional association for compounding pharmacists. Continuing education, advocacy, and standards.
GI Cocktail
Oral suspensionMaalox + viscous lidocaine + Donnatal (or hyoscyamine), equal parts. "Pink Lady" is a closely-related variant.
Bring it to us. We'll take it from here.
Turnaround depends on dosage form and complexity. We'll confirm timing and notify you when your order is ready.