FAQ on compounding pharmacies
Q. What are compounding pharmacies and are
they the best sources for bio-identical hormones?
A. Compounding pharmacies provide a specialized
service of making up formulas (compounding) to the specifications of
the prescribing physician, so as to be customized to the individual
patient's tolerability. This is an extremely important option to have
available to a patient, as not everyone can tolerate the inactive
fillers and dyes often present in pre-made pharmaceuticals, or perhaps
the method of delivery of each drug, which might affect rate of
absorption. While compounding pharmacies are able to accommodate to
patients' special needs through their service of compounding, they are
not necessarily the best source for bio-identical hormones. In fact,
the bio-identical hormone ingredients they use in compounding
medications begin with pharmaceutical grade generic bio-identical
hormones supplied by pharmaceutical companies. FDA-approved name-brand
bio-identical hormones currently exist in the market in multiple forms
(patch, pill, lotion, gel, vaginal cream).
Q. Are bio-identical hormones only available
at compounding pharmacies?
A. No. bio-identical estradiol and progesterone
are also available in name-brand, FDA-approved formulated tablets,
patches, gels, lotions, nasal sprays, and capsules. In fact, Estrace,
which is name brand estradiol oral tablet, has been FDA-approved and
available since the 1970s.
Q. Based on saliva testing that my
compounding pharmacist ordered, I was placed on bio-identical hormones,
or sold certain supplements to help me make more hormones. Is this
appropriate for my health?
A. No. While many compounding pharmacists truly do
possess great knowledge about bio-identical hormones, they are not
physicians, and are legally NOT allowed to prescribe treatment. Their
training is different from that of a physician's and they should not be
assumed to possess the same level of medical expertise. They can
consult with physicians if the physician has first signed a
collaborative agreement allowing the pharmacist to do so. The use of
bio-identical hormones has propelled to a billion dollar industry,
thanks to the efforts of Suzanne Somers, and unforutnately, Dr. Chen
has seen numerous cases where patients are receiving their prescribed
treatments from either compouding pharmacies or laboratories, which she
felt were inappopriate and illegal! There are obvious conflicts of
interest involved, and it is unforunate that money seems to motivate
more than ethics on the part of these entities. It is also
inappropriate to make claims that simply taking supplements will help
the body to make more specific hormones, as the body has multiple steps
along the way of hormone synthesis, each interconnected to multiple
other loops, and each individual step requiring enzymes (proteins), the
regulation of which is under the control of multiple variables that are
individual to each person, such as food, light exposure, sleep, and
stress level.