USE OF READY-MADE DRUGS IN THE EXTEMPORANEOUS COMPOUNDING OF SOFT FORMULATIONS

The structure of extemporaneous formulations compounded in pharmacies has changed considerably in the past decade. The pharmacies make liquid dosage forms (DFs) most frequently and soft DFs, most of them being are ointments, slightly less. The reduction in the production of pharmaceutical substances (PSs) has also affected the pharmacy compounding of medicines. Analysis of the prescriptions coming into 45 Moscow pharmacies has revealed that the latter use ready-made medicines in the extemporaneous compounding of soft DFs (ointments and suppositories). This is because of a lack of current DFs in the pharmacies. The ointments most often contain glucocorticosteroids, as well as ready-made drugs that have antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. The authors consider the legal aspect of the problem and propose ways of its solution, namely to extend a range of current PSs in the prescription drugs department of a pharmacy, as well as raise the question as to whether ready-made medicines may be used in the compounding of topical non-sterile DFs.