(a) Purpose. Pharmacies compounding non-sterile preparations, prepackaging pharmaceutical products, and distributing those products shall comply with all requirements for their specific license classification and this section. The purpose of this section is to provide standards for the:
(1) compounding of non-sterile preparations pursuant to a prescription or medication order for a patient from a practitioner in Class A (Community), Class C (Institutional), and Class E (Non-resident) pharmacies;
(2) compounding, dispensing, and delivery of a reasonable quantity of a compounded non-sterile preparation in a Class A (Community), Class C (Institutional), and Class E (Non-resident) pharmacy to a practitioner's office for office use by the practitioner;
(3) compounding and distribution of compounded non-sterile preparations by a Class A (Community) pharmacy for a Class C (Institutional) pharmacy; and
(4) compounding of non-sterile preparations by a Class C (Institutional) pharmacy and the distribution of the compounded preparations to other Class C (Institutional) pharmacies under common ownership.
(b) Definitions. In addition to the definitions for specific license classifications, the following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Beyond-use date--The date or time after which the compounded non-sterile preparation shall not be stored or transported or begin to be administered to a patient. The beyond-use date is determined from the date or time when the preparation was compounded.
(2) Cleaning--The process of removing soil (e.g., organic and inorganic material) from objects and surfaces, normally accomplished by manually or mechanically using water with detergents or enzymatic products.
(3) Component--Any ingredient intended for use in the compounding of a drug preparation, including those that may not appear in such preparation.
(4) Compounding--The preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging, or labeling of a drug or device: (A) as the result of a practitioner's prescription drug or medication order, based on the practitioner-patient-pharmacist relationship in the course of professional practice; (B) for administration to a patient by a practitioner as the result of a practitioner's initiative based on the practitioner-patient-pharmacist relationship in the course of professional practice; (C) in anticipation of prescription drug or medication orders based on routine, regularly observed prescribing patterns; or (D) for or as an incident to research, teaching, or chemical analysis and not for sale or dispensing, except as allowed under §562.154 or Chapter 563 of the Occupations Code.
(5) Hot water--The temperature of water from the pharmacy's sink maintained at a minimum of 105 degrees F (41 degrees C).
(6) Reasonable quantity--An amount of a compounded drug that: (A) does not exceed the amount a practitioner anticipates may be used in the practitioner's office or facility before the beyond use date of the drug; (B) is reasonable considering the intended use of the compounded drug and the nature of the practitioner's practice; and (C) for any practitioner and all practitioners as a whole, is not greater than an amount the pharmacy is capable of compounding in compliance with pharmaceutical standards for identity, strength, quality, and purity of the compounded drug that are consistent with United States Pharmacopoeia guidelines and accreditation practices.
(7) Sanitizing--A process for reducing on inanimate surfaces the number of all forms of microbial life including fungi, viruses, and bacteria using an appropriate agent.
(8) SOPs--Standard operating procedures.
(9) USP/NF--The current edition of the United States Pharmacopeia/National Formulary.
(c) Personnel.
(1) Pharmacist-in-charge. In addition to the responsibilities for the specific class of pharmacy, the pharmacist-in-charge shall have the responsibility for, at a minimum, the following concerning non-sterile compounding: (A) determining that all personnel involved in non-sterile compounding possess the education, training, and proficiency necessary to properly and safely perform compounding duties undertaken or supervised; (B) determining that all personnel involved in non-sterile compounding obtain continuing education appropriate for the type of compounding done by the personnel; (C) assuring that the equipment used in compounding is properly maintained; (D) maintaining an appropriate environment in areas where non-sterile compounding occurs; and (E) assuring that effective quality control procedures are developed and followed.
(2) Pharmacists. Special requirements for non-sterile compounding. (A) All pharmacists engaged in compounding shall: (i) possess the education, training, and proficiency necessary to properly and safely perform compounding duties undertaken or supervised; and (ii) obtain continuing education appropriate for the type of compounding done by the pharmacist. (B) A pharmacist shall inspect and approve all components, drug product containers, closures, labeling, and any other materials involved in the compounding process. (C) A pharmacist shall review all compounding records for accuracy and conduct in-process and final checks to ensure that errors have not occurred in the compounding process. (D) A pharmacist is responsible for the proper maintenance, cleanliness, and use of all equipment used in the compounding process.
(3) Pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees. All pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees engaged in non-sterile compounding shall: (A) possess the education, training, and proficiency necessary to properly and safely perform compounding duties undertaken; (B) obtain continuing education appropriate for the type of compounding done by the pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee; and (C) perform compounding duties under the direct supervision of and responsible to a pharmacist.
(4) Training. (A) All training activities shall be documented and covered by appropriate SOPs as outlined in subsection (d)(8)(A) of this section. (B) All personnel involved in non-sterile compounding shall be well trained and must participate in continuing relevant training programs. (C) Training shall include instruction, experience, and demonstrated proficiency in the following areas: (i) hand hygiene; (ii) garbing; (iii) cleaning and sanitizing; (iv) handling and transporting components and compounded non-sterile preparations; (v) measuring and mixing; (vi) proper use of equipment and devices selected to compound non-sterile preparations; and (vii) documentation of the compounding process (e.g., Master Formulation Records and Compounding Records).
(d) Operational Standards.
(1) General requirements. (A) Non-sterile drug preparations may be compounded in licensed pharmacies: (i) upon presentation of a practitioner's prescription drug or medication order based on a valid pharmacist/patient/prescriber relationship; (ii) in anticipation of future prescription drug or medication orders based on routine, regularly observed prescribing patterns; or (iii) in reasonable quantities for office use by a practitioner and for use by a veterinarian. (B) Non-sterile compounding in anticipation of future prescription drug or medication orders must be based upon a history of receiving valid prescriptions issued within an established pharmacist/patient/prescriber relationship, provided that in the pharmacist's professional judgment the quantity prepared is stable for the anticipated shelf time. (i) The pharmacist's professional judgment shall be based on the criteria used to determine a beyond-use date outlined in paragraph (5)(C) of this subsection. (ii) Documentation of the criteria used to determine the stability for the anticipated shelf time must be maintained and be available for inspection. (iii) Any preparation compounded in anticipation of future prescription drug or medication orders shall be labeled. Such label shall contain: (I) name and strength of the compounded preparation or list of the active ingredients and strengths; (II) facility's lot number; (III) beyond-use date as determined by the pharmacist using appropriate documented criteria as outlined in paragraph (5)(C) of this subsection; and (IV) quantity or amount in the container. (C) Commercially available products may be compounded for dispensing to individual patients provided the following conditions are met: (i) the commercial product is not reasonably available from normal distribution channels in a timely manner to meet patient's needs; (ii) the pharmacy maintains documentation that the product is not reasonably available due to a drug shortage or unavailability from the manufacturer; and (iii) the prescribing practitioner has requested that the drug be compounded as described in subparagraph (D) of this paragraph. (D) A pharmacy may not compound preparations that are essentially copies of commercially available products (e.g., the preparation is dispensed in a strength that is only slightly different from a commercially available product) unless the prescribing practitioner specifically orders the strength or dosage form and specifies why the patient needs the particular strength or dosage form of the preparation. The prescribing practitioner shall provide documentation of a patient specific medical need and the preparation produces a clinically significant therapeutic response (e.g. the physician requests an alternate product due to hypersensitivity to excipients or preservative in the FDA-approved product, or the physician requests an effective alternate dosage form) or if the drug product is not commercially available. The unavailability of such drug product must be documented prior to compounding. The methodology for documenting unavailability includes maintaining a copy of the wholesaler's notification showing back-ordered, discontinued, or out-of-stock items. This documentation must be available in hard-copy or electronic format for inspection by the board. (E) A pharmacy may enter into an agreement to compound and dispense prescription/medication orders for another pharmacy provided the pharmacy complies with the provisions of §291.125 of this title (relating to Centralized Prescription Dispensing). (F) Compounding pharmacies/pharmacists may advertise and promote the fact that they provide non-sterile prescription compounding services, which may include specific drug products and classes of drugs. (G) A pharmacy may not compound veterinary preparations for use in food producing animals except in accordance with federal guidelines. (H) A pharmacist may add flavoring to a prescription at the request of a patient, the patient's agent, or the prescriber. The pharmacist shall label the flavored prescription with a beyond-use-date that shall be no longer than fourteen days if stored in a refrigerator unless otherwise documented. Documentation of beyond-use-dates longer than fourteen days shall be maintained by the pharmacy electronically or manually and made available to agents of the board on request. A pharmacist may not add flavoring to an over-the-counter product at the request of a patient or patient's agent unless the pharmacist obtains a prescription for the over-the-counter product from the patient's practitioner.
(2) Library. In addition to the library requirements of the pharmacy's specific license classification, a pharmacy shall maintain a current copy, in hard-copy or electronic format, of Chapter 795 of the USP/NF concerning Pharmacy Compounding Non-Sterile Preparations.
(3) Environment. (A) Pharmacies engaging in compounding shall have a designated and adequate area for the safe and orderly compounding of non-sterile preparations, including the placement of equipment and materials. (B) Only personnel authorized by the responsible pharmacist shall be in the immediate vicinity of a drug compounding operation. (C) A sink with hot and cold running water, exclusive of rest room facilities, shall be accessible to the compounding areas and be maintained in a sanitary condition. Supplies necessary for adequate washing shall be accessible in the immediate area of the sink and include: (i) soap or detergent; and Cont'd...