Compounding desk
What does made to order mean?
Custom medicine is a real category with a specific purpose. It also has limits worth asking about before agreeing to care.
Made to order can have a purpose
Compounding
A pharmacist or doctor can prepare a custom medicine when a ready-made product cannot meet a patient’s need.
For example, an allergy to a dye may mean a patient needs that dye left out of their medicine.
As of September 17, 2026.
FDA: why custom medicines existWhat the FDA has not checked
FDA approval does not apply to these made-to-order medicines. They are called compounded medicines.
The FDA does not check each finished medicine to see whether it is made well, works or is safe before it is sold.
As of September 26, 2026.
FDA: the review gapA prescription is not blanket permission
Ingredients and copies
Federal law limits which raw ingredients an ordinary compounding pharmacy may use.
It also restricts pharmacies from regularly making copies of medicines already available ready-made.
One exception to the rule on copies allows a change to a medicine for an identified patient. The prescriber must judge the change to be important for that patient and put that decision on record.
Ask: “Which part of my medicine is being changed, and what makes that difference important in my case?”
Shortages of weight-loss medicines
Semaglutide and tirzepatide injections were no longer on the FDA shortage list at this check.
An empty shelf at one pharmacy does not put a medicine on the national shortage list.
As of September 26, 2026.
FDA: shortage and copy policiesRetatrutide and cagrilintide
According to the FDA, using retatrutide or cagrilintide for compounding is barred by federal law.
As of September 26, 2026.
FDA: position on these ingredientsWhat need calls for a custom medicine in my case, and under which rule may this pharmacy prepare it?