Amid ongoing scrutiny of compounding pharmacies, a new analysis finds that state oversight has largely improved recently, although one glaring weakness is a cause for concern: Inspections are not being conducted as frequently as in the past.
Specifically, 32 states now require compounding pharmacies that make sterile medicines, which are injected or infused into the body, to fully comply with recognized quality standards, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts, a public policy organization. Two years ago, Pew conducted a similar analysis and found only 26 states had the same requirement.
Meanwhile, another 11 states have strong requirements for sterile compounding practices. And an additional four states have pending policy changes that if adopted, would require full compliance with recognized quality standards that are set by the United States Pharmacopeia Convention, a non-profit that establishes norms followed by regulators and manufacturers, according to the analysis.
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