Compounding Possibilities

Dissolvable troches

I just completed a two day "boot camp" training at the Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA) in Houston, TX.  I really enjoyed this, because 1) it was well-taught and organized, 2) it provided lots of hands-on opportunities to create unique dosage forms in a lab.  I always enjoyed my general and organic chemistry laboratories during my undergraduate years, so this was a nice practical confluence of old and new.  Also, 3) it provided a spark of a thought of and idea of a possibility of where I might be able to utilize and combine my knowledge of Eastern and Western medicine. 

My lab station at PCCA

A few of the compounds made the first day of boot camp

Suddenly a vision of a compounding pharmacy appeared where I could provide not only unique and creative dosage forms for patients who are challenged by the manufactured pharmaceuticals, either through allergies to drug components, or not having the correct dose available in the traditional forms, but also I'd be able to proved Chinese herbal remedies, either in the traditional decocted tea formulations, or capsulized powders, or also utilizing the compounding methods I've just learned.  With this new awareness in mind I have done some research and have found another Chinese medicine practitioner who also has a PharmD (aside from Dr. John Chen who also has a PhD, OMD, etc. and writes some of the textbooks for Oriental Medicine - I'm taking a workshop from him in July).

Setting up to make lollipops

Part of the museum at PCCA

Throw back to when pharmacy was mostly botanicals

The woman I found in Edmonds, WA, offers compounded medications (such as bioidentical hormone replacement, pain relief, veterinarian needs, etc. with a physician's prescription) as well as herbal remedies, and combination of the two for the optimal therapy for each patient.  I really like this idea, especially the individualization of the dosage forms, and the aspect of direct patient care.  Check out her site: The Compounding Pharmacy

Me in the compounding pharmacy museum at PCCA

 
I will be doing more research, especially visiting local physicians and veterinarians and see how receptive they are to something unusual.  If I were to open my own pharmacy, this is the type it would be.  We have plenty of regular community pharmacies in our little town:  King Soopers, Safeway, Walgreens, and WalMart, and it seems it would be pretty silly for me to spend the money, time, and energy to set up something that isn't unique.  


The entrepreneur in me gets excited about these ideas, and I know that when it comes to starting whatever I'm going to start, I will be approaching it differently than I did when I began my Chinese medicine practice.  I have learned much in the last seven years in practice in Chinese medicine.  I still have a couple of years, at least, before I plunge into a new venture, so I have lots of time to explore possibilities and develop a business plan (or business plans) and tweak it as new knowledge is gleaned and life events happen that change and mold dreams.