Compounding Pharmacies Still Controversial Despite Popularity.....

Portland, ME- The practice of medicine is complicated, and the best remedy isn't always available in a formulation that works best for every patient. For years, citizens of Portland have looked to boutique compounding pharmacies for help. From turning a pill into a liquid, or adding flavor to an unpalatable prescription drug, all the way to manufacturing medications out of things you might find growing in your backyard or just laying around the house, compounding pharmacies play a key role in 21st century healthcare.

"Our patients come from all walks of life, and have a variety of specialized medical needs," Drummond's Drugstore owner Dub Drummond explained. "You won't find a pharmacist at Walgreen's who can whip up an inhaler full of a blood pressure medication and Prozac, and make it taste like white chocolate."

But not everyone supports compounding pharmacies. In fact, lawmakers around the country are calling for the federal government to improve regulation of the industry and restrict certain manufacturing practices. It is these restrictions that have folks like Drummond worried. "The American people really need to ask themselves if they want to live in a country where the government has the power to restrict their access to transurethral bovine testosterone implants."