Compounding
Medication made to fit
When a commercially manufactured product genuinely does not work for someone, a pharmacy can prepare one that does — to a prescriber’s specification.
What compounding is for
Manufactured medications come in fixed strengths and forms, and most of the time that is exactly right. Compounding exists for the cases where it is not: a dose that is not made, an allergy to a filler, someone who cannot swallow a tablet, a form that only exists for adults, or a product on national shortage.
- Strengths that are not commercially available
- Liquids and suspensions where only tablets exist
- Preparations free of a dye, preservative or filler someone reacts to
- Topical forms — creams, gels, ointments — where a prescriber wants one
- Paediatric formulations and flavouring
- Veterinary preparations
- Alternatives during a manufacturer shortage
What compounding is not for
Compounded hormone preparations are not the standard of care for gender-affirming hormone therapy. Ontario guidance supports commercially manufactured products, and that is what we would expect to see prescribed.
We are saying that plainly because compounded “bioidentical” hormones are marketed hard, and a pharmacy that markets them to trans people is selling something rather than following the evidence. Commercially manufactured products have consistent dosing, established monitoring, and coverage — three things a compounded preparation generally does not.
If a prescriber sends a compounded prescription for a genuine clinical reason, we will prepare it. We will not advertise it as gender-affirming care.
Where compounded hormones do have a place
Menopause, perimenopause and andropause — where a prescriber wants a strength or a form that is not manufactured. That has its own page, deliberately separate from the gender-affirming service line.
How it will work
Compounding is prescriber-led. It starts with a prescription that specifies what is needed and why, not with someone choosing it from a menu. If you think a compounded preparation would help you, the conversation is with your prescriber, and we are happy to be part of it.
Preparations are made to order, so they take longer than handing over a box. We will tell you how long for the specific item rather than quote a turnaround here we might not meet.
On accreditation levels
Ontario licenses compounding by category, and what a pharmacy may prepare depends on the facilities it has been assessed for. We will state exactly what Kind Pharmacy is accredited to do once that assessment is complete — rather than implying a capability now and correcting it later.
Common questions
Is compounded medication covered?
Often less well than manufactured equivalents, and sometimes not at all. That is worth knowing before you start rather than discovering at the counter, and it is one of the reasons a manufactured product is usually the better answer where one fits.
Can you compound anything?
No. Some things cannot be compounded safely, some are restricted, and some are simply better as the manufactured product. A pharmacist declining is a clinical judgement, not obstruction.
Why do you keep steering me toward manufactured products?
Because for most people they are better: consistent dosing, established evidence, and coverage. Compounding is the answer when the manufactured option genuinely does not fit — not a premium tier.