From “What is compounding?” to information about a specific medicine, Akina Pharmacy is here to answer your questions and help put you on the road to comfort and health.

Yes, you will need a prescription for any compounded medication.

Any doctor, or provider, can write a compound prescription. You do not necessarily have to see a provider who specializes in compounding medication dosing forms.

Akina Pharmacy is currently licensed in over 20 states and growing! Whether you are in our home state of Virginia or located in a state that we are licensed in, we will ship directly to your home within 1-2 business days. To view a current list of states we can ship to, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

A compounded drug is prepared by a compounding pharmacy and is tailored to a patient’s specific needs. Here are some examples when a compounded drug may be beneficial:

• When a drug is not commercially available from a manufacturer
• Adjust the strength of a medication
• Avoid unwanted ingredients such as dyes, sugar, preservatives, or gluten
• Add flavors to make the medication easier to take
• Change in dosage forms like converting a capsule into a liquid

Contact us today if you have any more questions.

In general, most compounded prescriptions are not expensive. The cost is determined by a number of factors such as the cost of ingredients and the time required to prepare the compounded medication. At Akina Pharmacy, we understand that a medication is not truly an option unless it is also affordable.

In very rare instances are compounded medications covered by insurance, so we strive to reduce the cost in any way that we can to make them as accessible as possible. We will provide you with a Universal Claim Form that you can submit to your prescription insurance company for reimbursement on your out of pocket expenses. We have many patients that are successfully reimbursed when using this method.

Because compounds are so unique, depending on the ingredients needed for a specific medication, cost varies. For this reason, we always ask the patient if the price is acceptable before we make a product. We will also work with you and your doctor to find another effective solution if price becomes an obstacle.

Many doctors understand the benefits of compounding and regularly prescribe compounded medications to their patients. Still, We recommend that you speak to your doctor about compounded medications or contact us if you have any questions or need us to reach out to your doctor. We can work closely with your doctor to create unique solutions for you.
Contact us today if you have any more questions.

Compounding is a scientific art that requires expertise and extensive knowledge on the standards that govern compounding. We recommend that the compounding pharmacy you choose:

• Is nationally accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB)
• Is a compounding-only pharmacy
• Has a robust Quality Assurance Program
• Extensively trains and certifies compounding pharmacists and compounding pharmacy technicians
• Provides exceptional customer service!

Contact Us today if you have any more questions.

Yes. Akina Pharmacy has successfully passed the demanding national accreditation process of the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) administered by ACHC for sterile and non-sterile compounding. All pharmacies are licensed to compound medications, however PCAB-certified pharmacies have gone above and beyond to demonstrate a devout dedication to quality assurance, quality control, quality improvement. A comprehensive evaluation of the entire pharmacy and personnel by an authorized ACHC agent reviews and validates some of the following:

• Compliance with USP <797> guidelines for sterile compounding and with USP <795> for non-sterile compounding
• Assessment of pharmacy’s procedures for properly training all staff and maintaining staff competency through routine training and testing
• Only pharmaceutical grade ingredients sourced from FDA registered facilities are used in preparing all compounds
• Independent lab testing is conducted on a regular basis to test for potency and appropriate beyond use dating
• Independent lab testing is conducted to test the sterility of all sterile preparations
• All equipment is routinely calibrated and tested by a third party agency
• Viable air sampling is conducted biannually by a qualified operator
• Surface sampling and air quality for compounding area, ante room, and clean room checked biannually by a qualified operator

Akina Pharmacy has a Quality Assurance and Compliance Team that is dedicated to ensuring safety and quality of every medication that we dispense. The team is responsible for leading, developing, implementing, and maintaining quality strategies, procedures and systems around the highest standards in the industry.

Akina Pharmacy has contracted a third-party analytical lab to conduct sterility, endotoxin, and potency testing on compounded medications in accordance with USP <71> Sterility Test and USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxin.
What other measures does Akina Pharmacy take to ensure the quality of service and the quality of compounded medications?
Akina Pharmacy far exceeds the guidelines of USP <797> And USP <795> in an effort to exceed the expectations of patients and providers. We also have systems, procedures and processes in place, such as:

• ADR reporting system with an ability to analyze trends and implement a corrective action plan if necessary
• Formal Drug Recall System
• Biannual reviews of Standard Operating Procedures
• Certificate of Analysis is obtained for every chemical received by the pharmacy
• Mandatory continuing education for all team members on the latest compounding trends and procedures
• Formal Customer Incident Management systems consisting of a formal investigation of
  the incident and a corrective/preventative action plan