PCAB Seeks Comments on Proposed Revisions-October 2008

The Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) has initiated a review process for proposed revisions to its existing standards and principles. The public has until December 31, 2008, to submit comments. The effective date for the revision is September 2009.

The PCAB Principles and Standards were developed by a panel of pharmacy compounding experts to provide compounding pharmacies, prescribers, and patients with a set of national best practices in pharmacy compounding. “PCAB is committed to patient safety and quality compounding, and we greatly value the input of patients, practitioners, and regulators on the PCAB Principles and Standards,” said Tom Murry, PCAB executive director.

PCAB is a not-for-profit corporation formed by 8 national pharmacy organizations that saw a need for a national standards organization for compounding pharmacy. Each organization involved has one representative on the board. The group’s mission is a 4-pronged approach:

• Organize and carry out a comprehensive program of voluntary accreditation in the practice of pharmacy compounding

• Promote, develop, and maintain principles, policies, and standards for the practice of pharmacy compounding in the public interest and apply these in the accreditation of pharmacies that offer pharmacy compounding to improve the quality and safety of pharmacy compounding provided to the general public

• Offer the public and prescribers a way to identify the pharmacies that satisfy accreditation criteria

• Provide a public forum for information on the practice of pharmacy compounding, and educate the public on the importance of pharmacy compounding