Nonsterile Compounding: Dosage Forms and Routes of Administration

Course overview

Developing compounding plans should be based on the practitioner-patient-pharmacist relationship. Dosage forms are the physical unit or form in which drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients are prepared for delivery. Physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of formulation parameters, such as disintegration, dissolution, absorption, and shelf life, influence dosage form in compounding decisions. Pharmacy personnel ponder these factors and frequently prepare dosage forms to meet individual patients' needs or bridge supply chain problems or product shortages. Pharmacy teams providing compounded formulations are poised to provide dosage forms such as powders, capsules, tablets, lozenges, suppositories, solutions, ointments, and others to ensure active ingredients reach the intended treatment site. Important dosage form considerations include tips for compounding the preparations, patient counseling, and recalling examples of formulations. Increasing awareness of dosage forms and administration can advance competencies and confidence in shared decision-making, improve compounding discussions with prescribers, and optimize patient outcomes based on individualized dosage forms.