The relatively unglamorous world of compounding pharmacy
clashed abruptly with national media through the tragic fungal meningitis
outbreak resulting from contaminated methylprednisolone. As I sit down to write
this entry, the Centers for Disease Control report 696 cases of fungal
meningitis across twenty states with 45 deaths. A practice that may have been
under the radar for many Americans, compounding pharmacy has officially been
brought into the spotlight for both public and legal scrutiny.
It is easy for me to see, even as a first year pharmacy
student, how a disaster of this magnitude has the ability to negatively impact
the world of pharmacy. Although the New England Compounding Center was
practicing well outside established compounding pharmacy best practices, it is
not a stretch to believe that the trust many Americans had in the practice of
compounding pharmacy will be diminished.
When members of the profession tarnish
the practice of pharmacy, it is the responsibility of pharmacists as well as
students to present the practice professionally. In 2013, pharmacy must put its
best foot forward and continue to make progress in the improvement of patient
care and safety.
