Pain Management Compounding in Flinders

What Is Pain Management Compounding?

Most pain medicines are made commercially in set strengths and forms, such as tablets, capsules and some creams. A compounded pain medicine is prepared in the pharmacy for one particular person, using the ingredients, strength and form written on the prescription. Your doctor decides whether it is appropriate, and the pharmacist prepares it.

Compounded Pain Creams and Other Forms

Depending on the prescription, a compounded pain medicine may be prepared as:

• a cream or gel applied to the skin over the painful area
• a liquid for someone who can’t swallow tablets
• a capsule in a strength that isn’t available commercially
• a form made without a dye, preservative or other ingredient you react to

Not every pain medicine can or should be compounded. Your doctor and pharmacist can talk you through whether a compounded medicine is the right choice, or whether a commercial product would suit you just as well.

When Compounded Pain Relief Isn’t Suitable

The Pharmacy Board of Australia’s guidelines say a medicine should not be compounded when:

• it would be the same as a commercial medicine that is already available and suitable for you
• the pharmacy doesn’t have the right equipment, or the pharmacist doesn’t have the required knowledge and skills
• there is no evidence that it is a safe and appropriate treatment

Compounded medicines prepared for a particular person are exempt from registration on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. This means they have not been assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in the same way as commercial medicines, which is one reason your doctor and pharmacist weigh up whether compounding is really needed.

Some strong pain medicines are Schedule 8 medicines. In NSW, a prescriber must get approval from the NSW Ministry of Health before prescribing or supplying a compounded Schedule 8 medicine, so these may take longer to arrange.

How Pain Management Compounding Works

1. Talk to your doctor. Your doctor assesses your pain and decides whether a compounded medicine may help.
2. Get a prescription. The prescription sets out the ingredients, strength and form of the medicine.
3. Call us first. Ring (02) 4296 5548 to arrange your prescription.
4. Your medicine is prepared. The pharmacist checks the prescription, prepares the medicine and can explain how to use it.

Flinders Discount Chemist is at 7 Munmorah Circuit, Flinders NSW 2529. For other medicines made to order, see our compounding pharmacy services, or contact us with your questions.

Other compounding services include prescription compounding, sterile compounding and veterinary compounding. New to compounding? Learn the compounding basics.

Pain Management Compounding FAQs