At the beginning of a new year, many people begin a detoxification and weight loss journey as part of their annual resolutions or to recover from over-indulging during the holidays. But in an environment where most are exposed to a variety of foreign contaminants daily, practices that help minimize or remove chemicals unknowingly stored in the body have become an important habit throughout the year.

We explore the essence of financial benchmarking, its significance and how your compounding pharmacy can leverage this practice to achieve sustainable growth and understand the market value of your practice.

Getting involved in wound care can be a very rewarding clinical niche. Many medical practitioners have limited experience and training in treating wounds, so when pharmacists have knowledge and compounded options to share, it is usually greatly appreciated. Understanding the pathophysiology of wounds and the pharmacology of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in wound treatment are needed to interact with prescribers and to formulate a patient-specific compound.

In the quest for effective weight management, traditional methods often take center stage — balanced diets, regular exercise and lifestyle changes. However, emerging research suggests that certain nutritional and pharmaceutical ingredients, such as berberine, alpha-lipoic acid, oxytocin and topiramate, may each in their own way offer alternative avenues for those seeking additional support in their weight loss journey.

EctoSeal P2G, our revolutionary powder-to-hydrogel base, is the first natural, biodegradable polymer base created for wound care preparations. Read about the motivation behind its development, as well as clinical applications, from PCCA Clinical Compounding Pharmacist Mark Gonzalez, PharmD.

We are excited to introduce three members of our Clinical Services team: Matt Lester, RPh, MBA, Catherine Henderson, PharmD, and Celeste Zizzamia, PharmD, BCSCP. Each brings their unique expertise — including addressing business concerns, compounding for lifestyle medicine, as well as compounding for oncology patients and USP 800 minimum standards — to assist our members with questions and concerns. You will also see their respective byline in future PCCA Blog posts and Apothagram articles, as well as featured guests in future Mortar & Pestle podcasts.

This Profile in Personalized Medicine highlights owners Rod Harbin, Rod Harbin Jr. and Mat Harbin, plus Mary Ann Davis, RPh, and Jim Gaither, PharmD, of Wellness Pharmacy in Birmingham, Alabama. They have been proud PCCA members since 1992. Our profile, completed by Mary Ann, asks the team how they incorporate PCCA’s Principles into their pharmacy.

ThinkNext: International Seminar 2023 (ThinkNext: ISTX23) was a huge success, attended by more than 400 global participants. We’re reviewing the pearls — highlights of key takeaways — from the event to rekindle memories and, for those who missed attending, inspire your participation next year.

On November 1, 2023, revised USP Chapters 795 and 797 are official. If adopted by your state board of pharmacy, the requirements listed within these Chapters must be met. All PCCA formulations in our formula database now contain updated language and beyond-use dates (BUDs) in compliance with USP Chapters 795 and 797.

Functional medicine, a biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of diseases, is a popular topic. And so is healthy aging. It’s no wonder, especially when we consider our desire to understand the root cause of diseases and sustain health throughout life’s many stages.