If the Pharmacist receives a request for a Special he can contact an ACSM member in the knowledge that the medicine the patient is waiting for will delivered quickly and professionally, labelled with handling requirements, storage conditions and expiry date and that the Specials manufacturer, whose whole focus is on supplying bespoke medicines to individual patients, will take on legal liability for all of the production aspects of the medicine, as well as responsibility for record keeping.

This is particularly valuable in today's environment of increasing time pressures and ever greater emphasis on being visible and available to advise patients on many aspects of their medicine usage and disease management.

For the vast majority of retail Pharmacists dealing with a prescription for a special item will be a rare event. When this event does occur, the Pharmacist who chooses not to make the Special medicine himself can call upon ACSM members who bring a range of expertise in different product formulations: creams and ointments, sterile manufacture of aseptics and, of course, liquid medicines and availed himself of free advice and expertise from the members’ formulating Pharmacist.

The Association of Commercial Specials Manufacturers Limited. Registered in England and Wales, Company number 05015111, Unit 1, Regents Drive, Lower Prudhoe Industrial Estate, Prudhoe, Northumberland, NE42 6PX. Copyright 2009 ACSM, All rights reserved. Terms of Use