Our Commitment to Quality
Women’s International Pharmacy is committed to providing superior custom-compounded bioidentical hormones for both men and women. We have been compounding prescriptions since 1985 with precision and unwavering quality. We employ good compounding practices as found in the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP).
Qualified Staff
Women’s International Pharmacy maintains stringent compounding proficiency and quality assurance standards. Compounding is completed by skilled pharmacists and nationally certified technicians working under direct pharmacist supervision. All staff members complete regular training programs and competency assessments that exceed state regulations and federal guidelines.
State-of-the-Art Facilities and Equipment
Women’s International Pharmacy has specially designed facilities to ensure the quality of our compounded medications. We follow all established guidelines for testing ingredients and compounds. Our lab staff uses personal protective equipment, as well as powder containment. Our compounding area is segregated and operates on a self-contained ventilation system. Every piece of equipment is expertly maintained. Cleaning and maintenance are well-documented.
To ensure accuracy and uniformity of compounded medications, Women’s International Pharmacy utilizes equipment that meets established quality standards, including electronic balances, encapsulation equipment, and electronic mortars and pestles. Equipment is evaluated for accuracy on a daily basis. All of our balances are certified by an outside scale certification and calibration company.
Only High-Grade Materials Used
Women’s International Pharmacy uses only high-grade materials supplied from reputable sources. These materials also meet official established requirements. Each active ingredient is delivered with a certificate of analysis verifying the identity and quality of the pure drug powders. Independent testing of ingredients by an analytical laboratory also may be done. Waste is disposed of at Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved facilities.
Procedural Standards
Procedures for compounding are thoroughly reviewed prior to implementation. These procedures are then validated to ensure that the compounded medications are of the appropriate strength, quality, and purity. Procedures are reviewed internally on a regular basis and outside analytical laboratories are routinely used to validate our processes.
Each individual compound is prepared according to a standard procedure. Compounding pharmacists verify formula calculations, ingredients and the final compounded prescriptions. The finished compound is also verified for appearance, quality, quantity, and standardization of dosing. Every prescription may be tracked back to the ingredients used to make the compound via lot numbers and electronic records.
Continuous Quality Improvement
At Women’s International Pharmacy, maintaining the quality of our preparations is of paramount importance. Therefore, a continuous quality improvement process is employed. Our entire staff takes an active role in our quality review and improvement process.
Accreditation
Women’s International Pharmacy is proud to report earning the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board’s (PCAB®) Seal of Accreditation for meeting and/or exceeding national quality standards. PCAB® Accreditation is an additional, voluntary step to ensure the compounding pharmacy profession’s most rigorous review and inspection measures are met. To earn the designation “PCAB® Accredited compounding pharmacy,” an extensive application was completed that was reviewed by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board. Compounding policies and procedures were then reviewed by professionals. Next, an extensive on-site inspection was conducted by compounding experts. Women’s International Pharmacy was awarded accreditation only after these stringent evaluations were completed and the pharmacy was deemed compliant with PCAB’s® quality and safety standards.
Professional Affiliations
Women’s International Pharmacy staff members belong to several organizations involved with professional pharmacy compounding, including the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP), American College of Apothecaries (ACA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and the American Pharmacist’s Association (APhA). On a local level, we maintain relationships with faculties and students at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, and our state pharmacy associations, which give us valuable resources for compounding issues.
Commitment to Excellence
Women’s International Pharmacy is accredited by Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) for compliance with PCAB Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Standards. PCAB is a service of Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) and is a third-party accreditation organization that has developed the highest national standards that providers are measured against in order to illustrate their ability to effectively deliver quality compounded medications to consumers.
PCAB performs on-site visits with industry-expert Surveyors who audit specific areas of performance. PCAB Accreditation also requires annual validation to ensure continued compliance with all applicable standards.
What Does It Mean For You?
PCAB Accreditation requires pharmacies to demonstrate compliance with specific process standards. By choosing a compounding pharmacy that has achieved PCAB Accreditation, you can take comfort in knowing that the pharmacy meets national quality standards. If you have concerns about the product or service that you receive from Women’s International Pharmacy, you may contact ACHC directly at 855-937-2242.