Pharmacy Services
Compounding
Pharmacy compounding is the art and science of preparing personalized medications for patients. Compounded medications are made based on a practitioner's prescription in which individual ingredients are mixed in the exact strength and made into the dosage form required by the patient. This method allows the compounding pharmacist to work with the patient and the prescriber to customize a medication to meet the patient’s specific needs.
Our pharmacists can now personalize medicine for patients who need a specific type of medication in:
- Strengths
- Dosage forms
- Flavours
- Ingredients excluded from medications due to allergies or other sensitivities
Examples:
- Hormone creams in which the dose is precisely matched to blood or saliva levels
- Creams and ointments with ingredients that are not commercially available, like pain-relieving creams
- Liquids for children or adults not being able to swallow tablets or capsules
- Medication that is no longer manufactured or is temporarily not available
We can make:
- Creams
- Capsules
- Suspensions
- Injections
- Suppositories
- Gummies
- Lollipops
- Chocolates
- Eye drops
- Nasal sprays
Capsules Now Made with Natural Ingredients
At Dispensaries Ltd., our patients are always the number one priority.
We are excited to announce we are now using vegetable capsules, which are lactose-free, with rice flour as a filler. We have also introduced natural colouring agents, such as yellow cumin, orange paprika, and green chlorophyll.
Please speak with one of our pharmacy staff if you have any questions or concerns regarding our improved method for creating capsules.
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)
Our customized bio-identical hormone preparations meet the unique requirements of each individual. With a physician's or clinician's prescription, options can be chosen regarding the specific hormones required, the strength, dosage form, and the most suitable route for administration.
What is Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement?
Bio-identical hormones are derived from wild yam extract through a process done in a lab to reach the end product. The base structure, diosgenin, is similar to human progesterone. Progesterone is the mother hormone from which DHEA, cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone are usually derived. That means with minor modification in the lab; we can attain these molecules from the original progesterone molecule that our body perceives as its hormone. Research has shown that Bio-identical hormones are safer than conventional hormones.
The Benefits of Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement
Bio-identical hormone replacement provides many benefits and treats hot flashes, irritability, and vaginal dryness. These compounded therapies have a significant positive effect on ageing skin and wrinkles. If hormone replacement therapy is the drug(s) of choice by your healthcare provider, then Bio-identical Hormones Replacement should be the choice.
If you are suffering from hormonal changes and looking for a custom compounded hormone replacement cream to treat your symptoms, call us and speak with one of our compounding pharmacists.
(BHRT clinic we work with).
Pediatric Compounding
Children pose many challenges when it comes to medication: they may resist taking a medication, dislike the taste or texture, have difficulty swallowing solid dosage forms, and are fearful of injections. We work together with practitioners, children, and their families to customize medications and meet the specific needs of our little patients.
Most medications are not labelled for pediatric populations. When a drug is not approved for use in infants and children, it usually is not available in a suitable pediatric dosage form. Fortunately, we can help. We can compound oral medications into pleasantly flavoured suspensions, solutions, concentrates, lollipops, gummies or lozenges, in flavours that entice the child to take medicine. A palatable formulation is more likely to improve compliance and minimize spillage or waste during administration. Lollipops are an ideal alternative to "swish and swallow" medications that need to be kept in the mouth for longer times.
We can make:
• Creams
• Capsules
• Suspensions
• Injections
• Gummies
• Lollipops
• Chocolates
• Eye drops
• Nasal sprays
Dermatology
There are many reasons why a physician would choose to compound a medication. Dermatologists are frequent prescribers of compounded creams. Many combinations of ingredients made by our compounding pharmacy are not commercially available. Higher-strength components can be used, including in hydroquinone creams and peels. A compounding pharmacy makes medications that have been discontinued or that are experiencing shortages. Combination drug products are available to treat a variety of dermatological conditions, including:
- Acne
- Melasma
- Psoriasis
- Molluscum Contagiosum
- Scarring
- Rosacea
- Vitiligo
- Warts
- Sun Damage
Combining drugs is another specialty of compounding pharmacies. Hydroquinone, retinoic acid, and hydrocortisone can be combined to treat melasma. A compounding pharmacy can make any combination of ingredients and strengths based on an individual patient's needs.
Compounded prescription drugs can also be made in strengths that are not available commercially. For example, hydroquinone is only available in formulations of up to 4-6%. A compounding pharmacy can make a formulation with 6%, 8%, or 10% hydroquinone. We can add hydrocortisone to a hydroquinone formulation to relieve some irritation while it works. In most cases, dermatologists and other skin care professionals use a compounding pharmacy to obtain more potent and effective products than they can get from other sources, particularly for patients who do not respond to other treatments. A compounding pharmacy can be an essential resource for a patient suffering from a severe skin condition.
Compounding for Anti-Aging and Cosmetics
Multiple formulations for reducing signs of ageing are available from a compounding pharmacy. We can make chemical peels with glycolic acid, salicylic acid, TCA, and more in strengths that are hard to find. Creams made to improve the skin's appearance can include retinoic acid and hyaluronic acid. Retinoic acid increases cell turnover to renew the skin, while hyaluronic acid improves the skin's ability to retain moisture that it loses with age.
A compounding pharmacy can also provide stronger numbing creams for various skin procedures. BLT cream is a triple-anesthetic numbing cream frequently used before removing lesions, laser resurfacing, microblading, and more. Benzocaine, lidocaine, and tetracaine are combined in strengths that are not commercially available. This topical anesthetic combination numbs the skin quickly and lasts longer than a numbing cream that is not prescription strength.
Pain Creams
Dispensaries Ltd compounding centre can make many effective transdermal creams for direct application to pain sites. These topical compounds have the potential to have lower side effects than traditional oral medications while reducing pain and discomfort. Transdermal Therapy is the absorption of the medication through the skin and provides a unique alternative to traditional methods of pain management. We can compound pain cream medications for patients with both acute and chronic pain including:
Neuropathic Pain:
- Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
- Neuroma Pain
- Post-herpetic Neuralgia
- Chemotherapy-induced Neuropathy
- Phantom Limb Pain
- Trigeminal Neuropathy
- Post-surgical neuropathy
Peripheral Pain:
- Fibromyalgia
- Osteoarthritis
- TMJ Syndrome
- Degenerative Joint Disease
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Chronic Post Operative Pain
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Acute & Chronic Tendon/Ligament Injuries
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Lateral & Medial Epicondylitis
- Tension & Occipital Neuralgia Headache
We make creams to apply on the skin using the highest quality transdermal bases that allow active drug molecules to penetrate the skin. Our compounding facility uses the highest technology and equipment to create our topical pain compounds and dispense them in metered-dose applicators so you know exactly how much you are using. No guessing.
We can also make suppositories for rectal or vaginal use for local effect in those areas.
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects approximately 49% of Canadian men ages 40 and over. Like the rest of the ageing body, the muscle tone of the penis may decrease with age, but ED may be a result of other health issues such as diabetes, low testosterone, enlarged prostate and high blood pressure.
Smoking, alcohol use or even certain medications and psychological factors may also contribute to ED.
Commercially available medications to treat ED, such as Viagra®, Cialis® and Levitra®, are phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors. They work to relax muscle cells in the penis for better blood flow and to produce a rigid erection.
PDE-5 inhibitors are not effective in all men, and all men should have options to improve their quality of life. We work with your family physician and urologist to find the solution best fit for you.
Rapid Dissolve Tablets
Commercially available tablets can often take 30 minutes to several hours to start working, but a Rapid Dissolve Tablet can begin working within 15 minutes. This tablet disintegrates in your mouth quickly, moving into the blood vessels around the tongue, causing a faster onset of action.
Self-Injections – TRI-MIX
This form of medication is usually made up of 3 ingredients that work together to improve blood flow to the penis—administered by injecting a small amount of drug to the side of the penis, leading to an erection (97-100%). The amount of drug is adjusted or tailored for the individual patient for optimal effect.
If you or somebody you know is suffering from ED, encourage them to talk to their doctor about a compounding option. Contact one of our compounding pharmacists for more information.
Injectables and Palliative Care
This involves compounding sterile products, in a sterile environment. Sterile compounding is the preparation of customer mediations free of any contaminants or particles to be administered by injection. Our compounding facility has been compounding sterile products including injectables, ophthalmic (eye drops) or nasal sprays, inhalants for many years supporting individuals and facilities throughout Edmonton and the area.
Our facility has a state-of-the-art cleanroom where specially trained pharmacists and technicians prepare all sterile formulations using advanced techniques and equipment.
Low-dose Naltrexone
ow-dose naltrexone (LDN) is a promising new treatment option for various inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. There is a growing body of evidence that the body’s endorphins (naturally occurring opioids) have a critical role in regulating the immune system. Administering LDN between 9 and 11 p.m. blocks opioid receptors for several hours during sleep, setting off a “rebound” effect unique to the lower dose. Naltrexone is effective in 1.5mg to 4.5mg, thus, low doses.
What is LDN?
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that has been approved for the treatment of opioid addiction at a dose of 50mg. “Low dose” naltrexone refers to the use of a much lower dosage than that used to treat opioid addiction. Naltrexone at this lower dose (up to 4.5mg in most cases) had its first human trial in 2007. Since then, it has shown promise as a treatment for various medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia, and more.
LDN is now being studied for a variety of conditions because it is practical as well as safe. There are rarely any side effects reported in studies to date besides some cases of insomnia. The medication is also relatively inexpensive compared to other drugs used to treat these conditions.
Where Can you Get LDN?
Since the commercially available version of naltrexone is too high a dose for treating other conditions besides opioid addiction, LDN must be custom-made at a compounding pharmacy. To find out more about low-dose Naltrexone, call one of our compounding pharmacists at any of our locations.
Natural Health Products
Natural health products (NHPs) are naturally occurring substances that are used to restore or maintain good health. They are often made from plants, but can also be made from animals, microorganisms, and marine sources. They come in a wide variety of forms like tablets, capsules, tinctures, solutions, creams, ointments, and drops.
Natural health products are defined as:
- Vitamins and minerals
- Herbal remedies
- Homeopathic medicines
- Traditional medicines such as traditional Chinese medicines
- Probiotics
- Other products like amino acids and essential fatty acids
NHPs are used and marketed for a number of health reasons, like the prevention or treatment of an illness or condition, the reduction of health risks, or the maintenance of good health. They must be safe to be used as over-the-counter products.
How can I use natural health products safely?
Take these steps to minimize your risk:
- Talk to a health care professional like a doctor, pharmacist, or naturopath before choosing a product. This is especially important for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, seniors, and people with serious medical conditions.
- To prevent interactions, make sure your health care provider knows what other drugs and natural health products you are using.
- Use approved products. Look for NPN / DIN-HM numbers.
- Be skeptical of health-related claims that seem too good to be true. Don’t rely on ads: do your own research and talk to your health care provider.
- Read and follow all instructions on the product label.
- Report any unwanted side effects to our pharmacist and your clinician.
Vaccinations & Flu Shots
We have several vaccines at our pharmacies for infants, children, teenagers, adults, adults 50+, travel, and seasonal. Our pharmacies have Injection Certified Pharmacists on staff. You can fill your vaccine prescription and have it administered on-site by one of our Injection Certified Pharmacists - no appointment necessary at most locations.
Vaccines
- Cholera
- Chicken Pox (Varivax III®)
- COVID-19
- dTAP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis - Adacel®)
- Hepatitis A (Adult and Pediatric)
- Hepatitis A + B (Adult and Pediatric)
- Hepatitis A + Typhoid (Vivaxim®)
- Hepatitis B (Adult and Pediatric)
- HiB + Tetanus (Hiberix®)
- HPV (Gardesil®)
- Influenza (Flu)
- Japanese Encephalitis (Ixiaro®)
- Meningococcal Serogroup B (Bexsero®)
- Meningococcal A, C, Y, W135 Conjugate (Quadrivalent) + Diptheria
- Meningococcal Group C Conjugate + Diptheria or Tetanus
- Meningococcal Polysaccharide A, C, Y, W135 (Quadrivalent)
- MMR (Measles, Mumps & Rubella)
- Pneumococcal Vaccines (Prevnar®, Pneumovax®)
- Polio (Imovax®)
- Rabies (Rabavert®)
- Rotavirus
- Shingles (Zostavax II®, Shingrix®)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Polio (Boostrix®)
- Traveller's Diarrhea
- Typhoid (Live Oral - Vivotif®)
- Typhoid (Injection - Typhim®, Typherix®)
Contact the pharmacy to determine availability, prescription requirements, and coverage by Alberta Health Services.
Medication Review
It's good to stay in the know. Together we review and talk about your current medications and assess if they are working as they should, posing any side effects, and if the combinations work safely together. If there are any concerns with your medication, we can look for solutions.
As an Albertan, you are entitled to one annual care plan review at no charge to you. Criteria for coverage depend on the medications you use, the conditions they are for, and factors like your weight, smoking habits, alcohol, and recreational drug use. Our pharmacists are happy to assist you in putting together your health plan and support you in achieving your health goals. Follow-ups are done regularly with your pharmacist, who needs to ensure you are on track with your health plan.
Organizing Medication
It's important to keep your prescriptions organized to stay on top of taking your medications correctly. Compliance packaging is where we organize your medications in weekly or monthly dosettes or bubble packs. We offer compliance packaging, also known as blister packs, at no extra charge.
Compliance packaging:
- Organizes all your prescriptions, vitamins, and supplements all in one place.
- Gives you, or your caregiver, the confidence that medications are being taken as your doctor planned.
- Clearly shows when each dose of medication should be taken.
- Comes in secure, easy to open packaging – no more struggling trying to open vials.
- Offers greater security. If the package has been tampered with, you'll know right away.
- By using compliance packaging, you won't have to fumble around with several prescription vials – just punch out a single blister, and you're done.
- Can't remember if you already took your dose? Check your blister pack to find out quickly.
Additionally, we offer care plans to ensure you are achieving optimal health benefits and using your medications appropriately. Learn more about our pharmacist-assessed care plans and follow-ups by contacting one of our pharmacists.
Delivery
We offer delivery service throughout Edmonton and surrounding area.
If you'd like to have your prescription filled at our pharmacy, please contact one of our locations for more details.
We ship to patients throughout Alberta and Canada.
Medication Disposal
For our patients, we can safely dispose of your medications, syringes, pen needles, and lancets. All you need to do is drop it off at any of our locations and we take care of the rest!
Visit our locations page to find your nearest Dispensaries pharmacy.
Prescription Refill
Download our APP and refills and transfer are a breeze! We will also do it the old fashion way if you contact one of our pharmacies to order your prescription.