Frequently asked questions
What is a compounding pharmacy?
A 503A compounding pharmacy makes patient-specific medications—custom strength, ingredients, and dosage form—per your prescriber’s directions, in sterile and non-sterile forms under USP ⟨795⟩/⟨797⟩/⟨800⟩ standards.
When is a compounding pharmacy necessary?
When a commercial drug doesn’t fit your needs:
- Different strength/titration
- Alternative dosage form (liquid, troche, transdermal, sterile injection/ophthalmic)
- Allergen-/additive-avoidance (no dyes, lactose, gluten, alcohol)
- Drug shortage/discontinuation or combination of compatible meds
What forms are compounded medications available in?
Sterile: injections/IVs, ophthalmics.
Non-sterile: capsules, oral liquids, troches/ODTs, creams/gels/ointments/lotions, transdermals, suppositories, nasal sprays/rinses.
How can patients know if their medication is compounded?
Check your label/packaging for “Compounded Medication,” dosage form, BUD, and lot number—or ask your pharmacist/prescriber. Unusual strengths or nonstandard forms (e.g., troche, sterile vial) are common signs.
Which treatments commonly use compounded medications?
Today: weight management (prescription weight-loss options), NAD+, sermorelin and oxytocin nasal spray, allergy immunotherapy (SCIT/SLIT), sexual health, and compounded clascoterone topical serum—tailored to your provider’s directions. Coming soon: hormone therapy, IV therapy and further dermatology preparations.
Which providers can prescribe compounded medications?
Licensed prescribers in the patient’s state: MD/DO, NP/APRN, PA, DDS/DMD, DPM, OD/ophthalmology (where permitted), DVM (animals), and ND/NMD in eligible states. DEA registration is required for controlled meds.
Who regulates compounding pharmacies?
State Boards of Pharmacy (licensure/inspections, 503A rules), FDA (FD&C Act enforcement; no FDA “approval” of compounded meds), DEA (controlled substances), and USP standards ⟨795⟩/⟨797⟩/⟨800⟩.
How do I start with AccuMix Pharmacy?
- Patients: Ask your provider to eRx/fax your prescription to AccuMix Pharmacy. We’ll confirm details and arrange shipping/pickup per state rules.
- Providers/Clinics: Send Rx or request a pharmacist consult for formulation/strength/dosage form.
- Telehealth: Quick onboarding, formulary setup, and multi-state fulfillment.
My provider has not worked with AccuMix. How do I get my prescription filled here?
Ask your provider to send the prescription to AccuMix Pharmacy by e-prescription or by fax to 866-817-5305. If they have not worked with us before, you can print our one-page provider sheet to bring to your visit.
Is pharmaceutical compounding different from drug manufacturing?
Yes—compounding and manufacturing serve different purposes and follow different rules.
503A Compounding (what AccuMix does)
- Patient-specific: Made only after we receive a valid prescription for one patient.
- Customized: Strength, ingredients, and dosage form tailored to the prescriber’s directions.
- Oversight & standards: Performed/supervised by state-licensed pharmacists under state/federal law and USP ⟨795⟩/⟨797⟩/⟨800⟩ standards.
- FDA status: Compounded medications are not reviewed or approved by the FDA (we follow FDA/USP guidance and source from FDA-registered suppliers).
- Distribution: Not mass-produced; no broad commercial resale.
Drug Manufacturing (commercial products)
- Mass production: Large-scale batches of standardized drugs.
- FDA approval: Products undergo FDA review (e.g., NDA/ANDA) and must meet cGMP manufacturing requirements.
- Distribution: Sold to wholesalers, pharmacies, and healthcare facilities for resale/dispensing.
A third category you may hear about—503B outsourcing facilities
- Batch sterile compounding (often for office use), FDA-registered and held to cGMP—but not patient-specific. This is different from AccuMix’s 503A model.
Bottom line: Your prescriber may choose a compounded medication when an FDA-approved product doesn’t meet your needs (e.g., different strength, ingredient exclusions, or alternate dosage form). AccuMix compounds patient-specific preparations under pharmacist supervision and applicable USP standards.
Will I know when my medication ships?
Yes. You receive a text message at each step: when we receive your prescription, when a pharmacist has verified it, when it is being prepared, and when it ships, with your UPS tracking number. Prescriptions are prepared within 24 hours of verification. Refrigerated medications ship in insulated packaging with coolant, and most Illinois addresses receive their package the next business day after it ships.
Can I pick up my medication at the pharmacy?
Yes. Local patients can pick up at AccuMix Pharmacy, 655 W Grand Ave, Suite 240, Elmhurst, IL 60126, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Central. Tell us when your prescription is sent in that you prefer pickup, and we will text you when it is ready. Please bring a photo ID.
Do you take insurance, HSA or FSA cards?
We are a cash-pay pharmacy and do not bill insurance. We accept major credit and debit cards, including HSA and FSA cards. You receive a receipt with every order.
Can I get a receipt for reimbursement?
Yes. On request we provide an itemized receipt showing the pharmacy, your name, the medication, the date and the amount paid, which you can submit to your HSA or FSA administrator or to your insurer for possible reimbursement. We do not submit claims ourselves, and coverage of compounded medications varies by plan.
What is your refund policy?
Pharmacy law does not allow us to take back a dispensed medication, so dispensed prescriptions cannot be returned for a refund. If we made an error, or your medication arrived damaged or outside its required temperature, we replace it or refund it. Call 866-817-5303 within 24 hours of delivery so a pharmacist can review it with you.
Can I transfer a prescription to or from AccuMix?
To transfer to us, ask your prescriber to send a new prescription by e-prescription or fax to 866-817-5305, or call us and we will request the transfer from your current pharmacy where the law allows. To transfer away from us, ask your new pharmacy to contact us. Compounded prescriptions cannot always be transferred, because another pharmacy may not make the same preparation; a pharmacist can tell you what applies to yours.
My package is late or arrived damaged. What should I do?
Check the UPS tracking link in your text message first. If the package is more than a day past the expected delivery, arrived damaged, or a refrigerated medication arrived warm, call 866-817-5303 or email info@accumixrx.com within 24 hours. Do not use a refrigerated medication that arrived warm until a pharmacist has told you it is safe. We replace medication that was lost or damaged in transit.
How do refills work?
We fill refills as authorized on your prescription. You can request a refill by calling 866-817-5303 or by replying to our refill reminder text. When your refills run out, with your permission we contact your prescriber for a renewal; your prescriber decides whether to continue your therapy.
Can I reach a pharmacist after hours?
Yes. A pharmacist is on call 24/7. Call 866-817-5303: during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Central) the pharmacy answers directly, and outside those hours choose the after-hours option to be connected directly to the pharmacist on call. For questions about use, storage or side effects of your medication, you do not have to wait until the next business day.
