Compounding Pharmacy Issues
Most everyone has heard of the recent tragedy surrounding the
inappropriate compounding of products that has affected so many
people around the nation with fungal meningitis. In the aftermath of
this tragedy, the Board has seen numerous responses and emergency
changes to pharmacy rules around the nation. In Massachusetts, the
home state of the pharmacy with the tainted products, one of the
state’s immediate responses was to order its board to conduct regular,
unannounced inspections. The Arkansas Board is proud to say that it
has done regular inspections of its pharmacies for years and it makes
every effort to inspect each one at least once annually. The Board’s
review of the 2012 inspections shows that 667 of the 748 pharmacies
in Arkansas were inspected between January 1 and December 7. This
number does not include additional site visits for changes of location,
new openings, or the multiple visits and walk-throughs the Board does
routinely for its major compounding pharmacies. It is also important to
note that all of the Board’s pharmacy inspectors as well as executive
and assistant directors are licensed pharmacists with experience and
expertise in various areas of pharmacy practice. Board staff has sought
out and received training in regard to United States Pharmacopeia
standards such as Chapter 797 and has incorporated sterile compounding
inspection surveys into the Board’s workflow for any pharmacies
that are preparing sterile products. While the Board does not claim this
to be an absolute safety net, the Board continues to pursue additional
opportunities for training and learning opportunities to continually
improve its efforts in inspecting compounding pharmacies.
Found in February 2013 newsletter located here
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