Extemporaneous compounding activities and the associated informational needs of pharmacists

The results of an ASHP survey of extemporaneous compounding activities and the associated informational needs of selected pharmacists are reported. A questionnaire on extemporaneous drug formulations was mailed in September 1989 to 517 pharmacists with presumed interest in or knowledge of extemporaneous compounding activities. There were 235 questionnaires returned by recipients, for a net response rate of 45.6%. Of these 235 questionnaires, 210 were usable for the analyses. Eighty percent of the respondents practiced in hospitals. The respondents listed 314 single-entity and combination drug formulations that are frequently compounded in their institutions but for which adequate information on stability was judged not to be available. Oral suspensions were the most commonly listed dosage forms for which stability information was deemed to be needed. Other frequently reported informational needs pertained to the preparation of topical and ophthalmic drug formulations and pediatric dilutions. Data on the patient age groups involved, the usual routes of administration, and the approximate total volume and dose (volume) per patient were also reported for each drug formulation. Pharmacists perform a broad range of extemporaneous compounding activities, and further efforts are needed to supply practitioners with pertinent information on extemporaneous drug formulations.