Nearly 300 pharmacists from across the country descended on Washington, D.C., to meet with their congressional and senatorial delegations as part of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists' 16th annual Compounders on Capitol Hill conference and legislative event in June.

One of the pharmacists who made the trip was Debra Smith of Ballard Plaza Pharmacy, which is located inside the Ballard branch of Swedish Medical Center.

“This trip gave us a chance to speak directly to members of Congress and voice concerns that affect our patients, whose health relies on compounded medicines,” Smith said in a press release. “We may not have an army of lobbyists like the pharmaceutical giants, but we do help millions of patients every year, and that gives us a pretty loud voice on Capitol Hill.”

Ballard Plaza Pharmacy serves thousands of patients in the Seattle area, according to the press release. Approximately 50 percent of its patients take compounded medications prepared specifically for them at the direction of their physician.

In addition to talking to Congress about the importance of having access to customized medicines, International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists members like Smith also addressed the importance of veterinary compounding to their customers.

In April 2010, the FDA filed a permanent injunction against a compounding pharmacy in Florida for compounding from pure drug chemicals, according to the press release. As a result, this dispute between the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists is no longer rhetorical.

Patients’ lives and the pharmacy profession have been affected, according to the press release. The academy believes Senate oversight hearings must be held to clarify the FDA’s jurisdiction and action over veterinary compounding.