Pharmaceutical Compounding of Medications

What is Pharmaceutical Compounding of Medications?

Pharmaceutical compounding is the science of formulating customised medications for patients.

Compounded medications are made by mixing individual ingredients together to the exact strength and suitable dosage form required by the patient.


Limitations of current drug manufacturing

In the distant past, almost all medications were compounded. Over the past few decades, technological advances have led to the mass production of medications by large manufacturers and has provided convenience and easy access to medications by the general public.
However, this “one-size-fits-all” approach may not suit the needs of all patients. Some common problems experienced by patients with ready-made manufactured products include:
- Medications are not available commercially in the preferred required strength or dosage form.
- Difficulty in using the dosage forms available commercially (e.g., unable to swallow capsules or tablets; children with palatability issues). These may be able to be compounded into a lozenge, spray or gel
- Allergies or intolerance to excipients (preservatives, dyes or fillers) present in the commercial product.
- Discontinued medications or medications in severe shortage.


How we can help

At TerryWhite Chemmart Cockburn Medical, our Compounding Pharmacist can collaborate with you and your Doctor to compound personalised medications to suit your individual healthcare needs. With the consent of your doctor, we can:
- Alter the strength of a medication to suit your individual requirements
- Change the dosage form of a medication to improve and ease any difficulties in using or administering the medication
- Customise the flavour of your medication to make it more palatable
- Compound medications that are currently unavailable commercially
We have recently renovated and have built a brand new Compounding Laboratory within the pharmacy to enable us to compound medications on-site, so that we can serve our community better.


Some examples, amongst a much wider range, of compounded medications that we prepare include:

Medications that we prepare include (and not exhaustive):
- Palmitoylethanolamide (P.E.A.)
- Omeprazole suspensions
- Melatonin capsules (immediate or modified-release), suspensions and troche preparations
- Dexamphetamine modified-release capsules
- Fading Creams – Hydroquinone, Kojic Acid and Tretinoin Creams
- Boric Acid Pessaries
- Minoxidil/Finasteride Oral and Topical Preparations


We can compound a more extensive range of bespoke medications depending on the patient’s and doctor’s needs.

We can also prepare a variety of specifically compounded medications required for Veterinary use.


Please contact us via phone or email to discuss your compounding needs. We look forward to hearing from you.