Special magistral preparations at the pharmacy

Pharmacy

Pharmacy Preparation Contracted care Magisterial preparations Recipe

Special magistral pharmacy preparation: what is it?

A special magistral preparation is a medicine made especially for you by the specialized pharmacy. This is always done based on a prescription from your doctor. The specialized pharmacy makes this medicine in small quantities especially for your needs.

Examples

Medicines for rare diseases
Patients with rare diseases can sometimes benefit from a drug that is no longer manufactured or that needs to be specifically tailored, such as a particular hormone cream or a capsule with a unique composition.
Children's dosages
Many medications are not available in child-friendly dosages or forms. For example, pharmacists can make liquid versions of medications normally available only in tablet form.
Medicines without preservatives
Some patients are allergic to preservatives that are often added to commercial medicines. A pharmacist can make a preparation without these substances.
Chronic pain preparations
For patients with chronic pain, the pharmacist may make special analgesics or local anesthetics, such as creams with higher concentrations of active ingredients than are normally available.
Ointment for dermatological conditions
A pharmacist can create special creams or ointments with unique combinations of active ingredients for patients with complex skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, where standard products do not work.

Collegial redelivery

This involves a pharmacy receiving a medication from another pharmacy without transferring the prescription. This is officially allowed only with a special license, but the Health Care Inspectorate (IGJ) sometimes allows it under strict conditions.

Prescription transfer

If peer transfer is not possible, your pharmacist can transfer the prescription to another specialty pharmacy that makes the drug. This pharmacy then makes the medicine according to the rules. You then receive it through your own pharmacy. Preparations are usually used for children and patients who need to use different doses. They are also used when regular medications are not available due to supply problems.

When are pharmacists allowed to prepare medicines?

Apothecaries are allowed to prepare medicines (or have them prepared) for their own patients if necessary. Community pharmacies follow the KNMP guideline 'Preparation' and hospital pharmacies follow the NVZA's GMP-Z guideline. Learn more at knmp.nl.

When may the pharmacy "bill for this operation?

If a prescription medication requires special preparation, an additional fee for special pharmacy preparation may be required. This fee is allowed if the drug is made in a specialized pharmacy and requires special safety precautions and expertise, for example, special eye drops.

For making a special prescription drug, the pharmacy may charge an additional fee. This is allowed only if:

The medicine is prescribed by a doctor.
The making of the medicine requires special procedures such as sterile handling or the use of dangerous substances. This type of work must be done in specially equipped pharmacies that have the proper safety equipment and sufficient expertise, as this is necessary for the quality and effectiveness of the drug.
The special preparation of the drug is done by the health care provider who supplies the drug or on behalf of this health care provider is made by another professional according to the exact prescription so that the amount is just right for the patient.

This additional fee is for the work the pharmacy does to prepare the medicine especially for you.

The pharmacy preparation is reimbursed only if certain rules are met. This means the drug must be a good fit for you, scientifically proven effective and not too expensive. Preparations that resemble cosmetics or unapproved drugs will not be reimbursed. Health insurance companies decide each year which preparations will be reimbursed. Download the KNMP's flyer here.