There are over 100 steps involved in the production of repackaged medicines. DEA and FDA guidelines are strictly followed when creating medicines to be used by physicians who are dispensing at point of care, and especially checking on the process used by the medication re-packer as well.
Therefore, you should avoid randomly picking a repackaging company. Instead, do your homework to find the best. When you work with the best re-packager, you will reap the numerous benefits they have to offer.
A medication re-packer will give your medications a bar code, customize a label for you, allow you to choose packaging and do all of this for minimal costs. Using a medication re-packer has shown to decrease waste of medication by patients. It has also shown to streamline how your office functions due to the superior software technology you receive.
A medication re-packer can make it easy for you to keep track of inventory and needed refills. And all of these can help you better track patient outcomes. It gives you more time to focus on the important aspects of your practice like spending more time with patients and helping them reach health goals.
Below are some other benefits discussed in more detail.
Product Preparation
Temperature can change the structure and effectiveness of a medicine quickly. Repackaging facilities take extra measures to make sure medicines are kept at temperatures conducive to keeping the potency and form intact.
Medicines are susceptible to degradation. To prevent this and any loss of potency, repackaging companies do whatever they can to make sure packaging provides adequate barriers to the drugs but are also easy to use by the patient.
Companies use the best materials to protect drugs while also keeping the cost reduced. They ensure both primary and secondary packaging meets the standards set forth by governmental agencies.
Correct labeling is important in all medication production, especially when done by a medication re-packer. The label, even though small, contains a large amount of information. Repackaging facilities know just how vital this information can be.
Product Safety
Repackaged medicines are stored and packaged in a clean, safe environment. The rooms are temperature controlled and have added security to protect the medicines. Monitoring is controlled with the use of state of the art computerized technology.
Repackaging facilities are held to higher standards than pharmacies. How often do you see pharmacists cleaning their counter tops when filling prescriptions? Germs transferred from a pharmacist’s counter to a medicine can cause adverse reactions. Plus, it is just unhealthy.
There are specific standards a medication re-packer company must follow when it comes to preparing bottles, multi-unit or individual unit packages. The containers must be better than the original container from the manufacturer.
The new containers must take into consideration moisture, light, vapors, sealants and compatibility with the drug itself.
Repackaging of controlled substances makes them safer for you, the physician, and for the patient. Controlled substances, and all other repackaged medicines, are coded and labeled. Meaning, they are traceable all the way back to the manufacturer.
This provides all people involved with a security that if a medication is stolen or misused, it can be tracked to verify where the medicine originated and for whom or what it was intended.
Product Environment
For prepacking medication, temperature, humidity and air pressure are all crucial factors and must be heavily monitored. Using a clean room is essential. If you find the prepacking company you work with is not using a clean room, it is time to switch to one who does.
Your patients can be affected by any time of facility contamination, even it is with the smallest particles. Therefore, prepacking companies take extra steps to follow classification guidelines. Clean rooms help companies remain compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices.
Choosing a repacking facility that has their clean room tested and approved through a certification process means they will have the airflow in their facility tested for visualization, volume and velocity to make sure they meet standards for repacking medications.
This means you can stress less about the quality of your medications.
Compliant with Laws
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) sets forth Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) that all laboratories must follow to ensure safety when dealing with pharmaceuticals. These are the minimum requirements to pass inspection.
If repackaging companies fail to adhere to the regulations, they are warned, inspected and eventually shut down and prevented from operating. Repackaging companies are expected to provide documentation and visual proof that all regulations are being met.
The World Health Organization sets forth dispensing guidelines that must be followed by the physician and practice staff. Repackaging companies make it easy for doctors to comply with these guidelines, which cover the entire process from writing the prescription to handing medicine to the patient.
Quality Control
There are multiple quality control processes involved to ensure safety for patients. Keep reading to find out more about how safety is increased by quality control of repackaged medications.
Repackaged medications undergo quality control processes that prevent counterfeiting.
Drugs are registered, making it many times harder for counterfeit criminals to manufacture and deal the product.
The containers used at the repackaging company must prove to be better than the original container from the manufacturer.
The new containers must abide by moisture, light, vapors, and sealant regulations.Repackaging companies are experts in containers and the standards set forth for protecting medicine.
Repackaging of narcotics and other controlled substances has very strict quality control processes. Controlled substances are coded and labeled. Meaning, they are traceable all the way back to the manufacturer.
Repackaging facilities must follow strict guidelines when it comes to keeping their environment clean. Pharmacies are not held to the standards repackaging facilities are required to follow. From room temperature to how often and with what counters are cleaned.
Because of the many quality control processes of repackaging facilities, you can feel confident prescribing repackaged medication to your patients because they go above and beyond ordinary standards.
Working with a trusted medication re-packer is essential when dispensing medications at the point of care. A good medication re-packer allows you to be an even better physician.