Trends in Compounding Pharmacy, Mail Order, and Packaging Safety
In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has seen significant shifts in how medications are prepared, distributed, and packaged. This blog post explores the latest trends in compounding pharmacies, the rise of mail-order pharmacies, and the critical importance of packaging safety in ensuring medication efficacy and patient health.
The Compounding Pharmacy Market is Booming
The Booming Compounding Pharmacy Market
Compounding pharmacies, which create personalized medications tailored to individual patient needs, are experiencing remarkable growth. According to a recent market analysis by Biospace, the U.S. compounding pharmacies market is projected to reach USD 10.76 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8% from 2023 to 2033. This growth is driven by factors which include an increased demand for personalized medicine, and advancements in compounding technologies and an aging population.
The GLP-1 Boom and Compounding Pharmacies
One of the most significant trends in the compounding pharmacy sector is the surge in demand for GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications, such as semaglutide, which continues to rise in popularity because of its ease of acquisition and use. Wired recently explored how semaglutide, a drug, originally developed for diabetes management, has taken the weight loss seeking population by storm. When its brand-name versions like Ozempic and Wegovy began to face shortages, many patients started to turn to compounding pharmacies for alternatives. This trend has led to a proliferation of online platforms offering compounded GLP-1 medications, raising both opportunities and concerns about regulation and safety.
The Rise of Mail-Order Pharmacies
Mail order pharmacies are on the rise
Mail-order pharmacies have seen a significant uptick in popularity, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. These services offer convenience, often at lower costs, and can be particularly beneficial for patients with chronic conditions requiring regular medication. However, the growth of mail-order pharmacies also brings challenges, particularly in terms of medication safety during transit and storage. Temperature tracking, maintenance and control are all part of the conversation, as more states report higher than ever temperature spikes during the past year’s summer months.
The Importance of Packaging Safety
As the pharmacy landscape evolves, the importance of packaging safety cannot be overstated. Proper packaging is crucial for maintaining medication integrity, especially for compounded drugs and those distributed through mail-order services. Key considerations include:
Temperature control: Many medications require specific temperature ranges to maintain efficacy.
Moisture protection: Humidity can degrade certain medications, making moisture-resistant packaging essential.
Light protection: Some drugs are sensitive to light and require opaque or UV-resistant packaging.
Tamper-evident seals: These are crucial for ensuring medication safety and preventing contamination.
The Role of Pharmacists in Ensuring Safety
Likewise, pharmacists play a crucial role in ensuring medication safety, particularly in compounding and mail-order settings. They are responsible for verifying prescriptions, ensuring proper compounding techniques, and selecting appropriate packaging for each medication. As the American Pharmacists Association notes, pharmacists must adhere to strict quality control measures and stay informed about the latest safety guidelines and regulations.
Innovative Paper-Based Pharmaceutical Packaging Solutions: Parcel Health's Tully Tube
In response to the growing need for safe, sustainable packaging solutions in the pharmaceutical industry, companies like Parcel Health are introducing innovative products. Parcel Health's Tully Tube, the first and only paper pill bottle, offers a game-changing solution for both compounding and mail-order pharmacies. This eco-friendly packaging option provides several benefits:
Sustainability: Made from recyclable and compostable materials, Tully Tube helps reduce plastic waste in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Safety: Tully Tube’s design includes child-resistant and senior-friendly features, ensuring medication safety for all users.
Customization: Tully Tube can be easily customized, making it ideal for compounding pharmacies that require specific labeling for personalized medications, and to likewise offer better engagement with each patient.
Durability: Despite being made of paper, Tully Tube is designed to withstand the rigors of shipping, making it an excellent choice for mail-order pharmacies. Traditional plastic pill bottles often dent or crack under pressure. Tully Tube’s multi-layered paper design withstands greater pressure than traditional prescription pill bottles.
Temperature Stability: In keeping with paper’s long understood utility for insulation, Tully Tube likewise offers a temperature stabilizing benefit as well. In testing, Tully Tube has kept the internal temperature up to 20°F cooler than the traditional plastic amber vial. Plastic, the material most used in greenhouses, actually raises the internal temperature of its contents, which can be useful for keeping vegetation warm. But when it comes to mail delivery of medications, plastic can become a contributing risk factor for the efficacy and safety of medication in transport.
Parcel Health's Tully Tube offers a variety of features and benefits to compounding and mail order pharmacies alike
Today’s pharmacy trends have introduced a broad spectrum of challenges and opportunities. One of the most important challenges facing all stakeholders, in addition to keeping medications safe, is likewise to foster a better adherence to recycling of each pill package. Innovations, including packaging solutions like Tully Tube, can become an exponential sustainability empowering force for compounding and mail-order pharmacies alike. Importantly, these are the kinds of partnerships that can enhance sustainability efforts and achieving the highest standards of medication safety and integrity.
We hope you will take time to learn more about Parcel Health, Tully Tube, or fill out these quick and easy forms to get a quote, mock up or set up a meeting. Here’s to filling medicine cabinets with safe parcels, not plastics.