Manipulated medications are different from industrialized ones, as they can be prepared directly at the pharmacy, by the pharmaceutical professional. They are produced from standardized formulas and recognized by Anvisa, or from the prescription of a qualified professional, such as the doctor, who is able to establish in detail their composition, dose and method of use.
This type of remedy can have several purposes, from the treatment of diseases, food supplementation or for aesthetic purposes, and has some advantages, since it contains the active ingredient in quantities and formulations customized for the person who will use it.
However, this type of medication also has disadvantages, since there may be greater difficulty in inspection by health agencies. In general, the manipulated remedies are reliable and effective, but this is only guaranteed if the pharmacy follows the practices determined by the Ministry of Health, uses quality raw materials and exercises the handling processes in a rigorous and controlled manner.
What are the diferences
According to Anvisa, which is the body responsible for approving the sale of medicines in Brazil, the main differences between manipulated and industrialized medicines are:
| Industrialized Medicines | Manipulated Drugs |
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They are produced in industries in large quantities, using equipment that produces batches of up to thousands of units; |
They are handled according to a medical prescription and in sufficient quantity only to meet the specific needs of the patient; |
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They are produced with standardized dosages or concentrations; |
They are personalized, that is, prescribed and manipulated in a specific dosage or concentration; |
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They undergo quality control throughout the production process, with materials and products analyzed by the drug manufacturer; |
They do not undergo quality control as in the industry. The analysis of raw materials and packaging materials is done by suppliers and some tests are redone in pharmacies; |
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The manufacturing processes are supervised by qualified pharmaceutical professionals; |
The handling processes are supervised by qualified pharmaceutical professionals; |
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They have standardized packaging. The data on indication, use, side effects, contraindications and conservation care are in the package insert. |
Contains labels with information about the pharmacy responsible for handling, date and expiration, responsible pharmacist and conservation care. Does not contain the package insert. Other information, such as form of use and effects, must be provided by the doctor and the pharmacist; |
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They usually have a longer shelf life, as they contain stabilizing and preservative products in their formula; |
The validity period is usually only for the patient's treatment period, as it is done to meet those specific needs; |
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Industrialized drugs must be registered with the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). |
Handling pharmacies must be registered and inspected by the health surveillance services of Brazilian states and municipalities. |
Main advantages
Some of the main advantages of handling medications include:
- It produces medicines in individualized doses, which is a great benefit, since the standardized doses of industrialized medicines do not always correspond to what is necessary for each person; It allows the association of two or more substances, which helps in the use of a smaller amount of pills or capsules per day; It avoids waste, because it is produced in the amount necessary for the person's use; Replaces drugs not sold in pharmacies, which are not produced separately or because there is no interest in commercialization by the pharmaceutical industry; Prepares medicines without some excipient substances, such as preservatives, stabilizers, sugars or even lactose, which may be present in the standardized formulas of the industrialized ones; It produces medicines with different forms of presentation, such as pills, capsules, creams, gels or solutions, facilitating the person's use, such as, for example, producing in the form of syrup a medicine that is only sold as a tablet.
Thus, if produced with quality, the manipulated drugs can produce the desired effect, with the advantage of adapting better to the person using it, if necessary, facilitating treatment.
Main disadvantages
Despite the advantages, the manipulated drugs also have some drawbacks, such as:
- Difficulties of inspection by health agencies, due to the increase in the number of handling pharmacies throughout Brazil, which can compromise their quality; Risk of errors in dosages, since the analyzes are made by the suppliers of the active ingredients and tested by the pharmacies themselves; The expiry date is shorter, and if it is not used in its entirety during the foreseen period, it cannot be saved; More expensive and need time to prepare, it is generally easier and cheaper to buy the ready-made medicine at the pharmacy.
Thus, it is very important that, before handling a medication, the person makes sure that it is a reliable pharmacy and that it follows the rules of handling correctly, to avoid unwanted effects throughout the treatment.
