A compounding pharmacy is a special kind of pharmacy that specializes in the preparation of medications by mixing raw ingredients. Until the advent of drug manufacturing in the 1950s, compounding was the way virtually all pharmacists practiced. In the 1930s and 1940s, approximately 60% of all medications were compounded, as opposed to about 1% today.
Today, compounding pharmacies specialize mainly in the preparation of medicines that are customized to meet the needs of specific patients. This includes preparing medicines for patients who have allergies to certain ingredients found in mass-produced drugs; liquid versions of solid medicines to make them easier to swallow; flavored medicines for children; cream or gel-based versions of a medication for topical application (as well as other delivery methods); medicines that have been discontinued by a manufacturer; or medicines of a different dosage or concentration than that which is typically available. Compounding pharmacies allow for more flexibility, options, and customization than are typically available from pharmaceutical companies