A compounded medication label looks a little different from what you’d get at a standard retail pharmacy. Here’s what each part means, so you know exactly what you’re picking up.

Your Name and Prescriber

Every compounded medication is prepared for one specific patient, based on one specific prescription. Your label will show your name and your prescriber’s name; there’s no shared or generic version of a compounded formulation.

The Formulation

This line tells you exactly what’s in your preparation, and at what strength. Because compounded medications are prepared to your prescriber’s exact specifications, the strength or combination may not match anything sold commercially, so read this line carefully and compare it to what your prescriber told you.

The Delivery Method

Compounded medications come in more forms than commercial drugs typically do: cream, capsule, liquid, troche, suppository, and others. This line confirms how you’re meant to take or apply it.

Storage Instructions

Some compounded formulations need refrigeration; others are shelf-stable at room temperature. Follow this line exactly. Storing a formulation incorrectly can affect how well it holds up before your next dose.

Beyond-Use Date

Compounded medications carry a beyond-use date (BUD) rather than a standard expiration date. The BUD reflects how long that specific preparation is expected to remain stable, and it’s often shorter than a commercially manufactured product’s shelf life. Don’t use a compounded formulation past its BUD.

Pharmacy and Contact Information

Your label will list the compounding pharmacy’s name, address, and phone number, so you always know who prepared it and how to reach us with questions.

Compounded medications are patient-specific preparations and are not FDA-approved finished drug products. All formulations require a valid prescription from a licensed prescriber.