People looking for particular medications not commercially available in Australia can now access their needs quickly and effectively at Horsham Chemmart Pharmacy’s laboratory.

The newly built lab is fully equipped with a variety of dedicated equipment including an unguator, encapsulating machine and fume-hood.

Chemmart Horsham owner Jossy Dan said the equipment allowed his specially trained pharmacy team to make customised medication in capsules, creams and ointments. He said the team could also make specific suppository and lozenge medications as well as pessaries and troches.

“There are many other great advantages to having a compounding laboratory, such as making cost-effective single dosage forms that combine more than one compatible medication,” Mr Dan said. “We can make flavoured medications to please the palate of children, adults and even pets. We can also make them free of allergy or irritant-causing ingredients such as dyes, sugar, lactose or alcohol.”

Mr Dan said four Horsham Chemmart pharmacists had completed extensive training in Sydney to use the specialised equipment.

“Most pharmacies are able to make some forms of medication but the compounding equipment broadens our scope enormously,” he said.

“Where the average pharmacy would carry only a handful of ingredients, having the lab means we stock more than 100 different ingredients and offer a much wider range of flavouring as well as better, customer-friendly packaging.

“If someone needs medication that can’t be supplied already formulated, we have the expertise to help them.

"It will also be a big advantage for people wanting medication that might not normally be stocked due to its limited shelf life.”

The new lab is also used to develop a range of over-the-counter medications and creams that can be prescribed by the pharmacist on duty.