Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy Compounding Center Provides Customized Medications and Treatment to Customers

Santa Fe, N.M. – August 11, 2005 – Recognizing that one size does not fit all when it comes to health and the best treatment options, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy announces the opening of a prescription compounding center at its Santa Fe store, located at 530 W. Cordova, next to Trader Joe’s.

Pharmacy compounding is the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients. Responding to the resurgence in demand for individualized health solutions, the Pharmaca compounding center prepares specialized medications for a variety of prescription medication needs. Working in collaboration with patients and their physicians, Pharmaca pharmacists can change the strength of a medication, alter its form so it is easier to ingest, or add flavor to make it more pleasant-tasting. Unique dosage forms include transdermal delivery systems, troches, suppositories and veterinary applications.

“We recognize that each customer is unique and an individual approach to health provides the best results,” said Chris Prandoni, R.Ph., Pharmaca’s lead pharmacist in Santa Fe. “The ultimate goal in preparing any compounded medication is to help patients find the treatment that will work best for them. For example, compounding can adapt Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to fit individual bio-identical hormone levels or turn a sour cough syrup into a fruity flavored medication for children.”

In the 1930s and 1940s, approximately 60 percent of all medications were compounded. During the 1950s and 60s, with the advent of manufacturing, compounding declined. Today, with many people allergic to preservatives or dyes, or sensitive to drug dosages, physicians and pharmacists are again realizing the benefits of preparing customized medications to meet specific patient needs. Today, an estimated 43,000 prescriptions are compounded daily.

“Pharmaca believes in empowering our customers to make personal choices about their health. Part of that commitment is to help them find the most effective and the least invasive solution,” said Chris Turf, R.Ph., Pharmaca’s director of pharmacy compounding. “Compounding is rooted in a tradition of providing only what the body needs and nothing more. We listen to our customers’ concerns and needs and provide them with customized programs designed to heal the whole body and prevent disease.”

Pharmaca is a member of the Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA), a professional association with more than 3,000 pharmacist members located throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, and New Zealand.

About Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
Pharmaca, founded in June 2000 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, operates pharmacies that combine prescription drug and over-the-counter products with natural, complementary and personal body care products. The Company operates eleven pharmacies in Boulder (2) and Denver, Colorado; Berkeley, Mill Valley, Pacific Palisades, Sonoma and San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Seattle, Washington. Including this financing, the Company has raised over $40 million in equity, bank and supplier financing. www.pharmaca.com

Contact:
Julie Lunn
Fresh Ideas Group
303-449-2108 x 10
julie@freshideasgroup.com