A compounded prescription needs a few details a commercial prescription doesn't — the base, the dosage form, and the exact strength you want. Getting those right the first time means fewer clarification calls and a faster turnaround for your patient. Here's a practical reference for prescribers writing compounded prescriptions in California.
⚠️ First: route the referral correctly
Mixwell is a non-sterile compounding pharmacy. We prepare creams, gels, ointments, capsules, oral suspensions, troches, suppositories, and oral rinses.
We do not perform sterile compounding — no injectables, IV admixtures, or ophthalmics. Those fall under USP <797> and belong with a 503A sterile or 503B outsourcing facility.
Knowing this up front saves your staff a call and gets your patient their preparation sooner.
📝 The Six Elements of a Compounded Rx
A commercial prescription names a product. A compounded prescription describes one. These six elements tell the pharmacy exactly what to make.
🧪 Active ingredient(s)
Name each active. For combinations, list all of them.
e.g. Estradiol + Estriol⚖️ Strength or concentration
Per gram, per mL, per capsule, or per unit dose — and the ratio for combinations.
e.g. 1 mg/mL · or 80:20 E3:E2🧴 Base or vehicle
The element most often left off. The base drives delivery, stability, and feel.
e.g. in Lipoderm® · or "pharmacist's choice"💊 Dosage form
Cream, gel, capsule, troche, suspension, suppository, rinse.
e.g. Topical cream📦 Quantity
Total amount to dispense — grams, mL, or number of units.
e.g. 60 g🗒️ Directions (Sig)
Dose, route, frequency, and site of application where relevant.
e.g. Apply 0.5 mL to inner forearm daily❓ What does a compounded prescription need that a commercial one doesn't?
Three things: the base or vehicle, the dosage form, and an exact strength or ratio. A commercial prescription points to a manufactured product where those are already fixed. A compounded prescription is a set of instructions — so the pharmacy needs each variable specified, or explicit permission to select it.
📄 A Sample Compounded Prescription
Example — Transdermal Combination Cream
- Actives
- Estradiol / Estriol
- Ratio & Strength
- 80:20 (E3:E2), 2.5 mg/mL total
- Base
- Lipoderm® (or pharmacist's choice permeation-enhancing base)
- Dosage Form
- Transdermal cream
- Quantity
- 60 mL, airless pump
- Sig
- Apply 0.5 mL topically to inner forearm once daily
- Refills
- 3
Illustrative format only — not a clinical recommendation. The prescriber determines all clinical parameters.
💊 Dosage Form Menu
Matching the form to the patient is often the whole point of compounding — a patient who can't swallow a capsule, a pet who won't take a pill, or an active better suited to a different route.
Creams & gels
Transdermal or topical delivery in a permeation-enhancing or elegant base.
See an example →Oral suspensions
Flavored liquids for pediatric, geriatric, and veterinary patients.
See an example →🧴 Specifying the Base
The base is the vehicle that carries the active. It influences how the preparation is delivered, how stable it stays through its beyond-use date, and how it feels for the patient. You can name a base on the prescription, or write "pharmacist's choice" and let our team match it to the route.
💎 Route-Matched PCCA Bases
As a PCCA member pharmacy, we compound from a professionally developed formulation database.
Lipoderm®
PCCA's flagship permeation-enhancing transdermal base, widely used for delivering actives through the skin with an elegant feel.
PermE8™
An anhydrous permeation-enhancing gel supporting extended default beyond-use dates and multi-active formulations.
WO6™
An anhydrous, emollient base with a smooth finish for oxidation-prone actives — topical use.
SuspendIt® / Anhydrous SuspendIt®
Suspension base technology supporting consistent oral suspensions, including for water-sensitive actives.
MucoLox™
A mucoadhesive base designed to adhere to mucosal tissue, supporting retention for localized preparations.
⚠️ Common Gaps That Slow a Prescription Down
❌ What triggers a callback
- No base or vehicle specified
- Strength given without a unit ("2%" vs "2 mg/mL")
- A combination with no ratio
- Quantity missing, or in units that don't match the form
- Dosage form left to inference
- A sterile preparation sent to a non-sterile pharmacy
✅ What moves it straight through
- All six elements present
- Base named, or "pharmacist's choice" written
- Ratio stated for combinations
- Quantity matched to the dosage form
- Site of application in the Sig for topicals
- A callback number for your office
📋 California Prescribing Notes
A few practical points for California practices:
Before you send it
- A valid prescription is required. Compounded preparations are prepared only pursuant to one, for an identified patient.
- Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved drug products. They're prepared individually to your specifications.
- Prescribe within your scope of practice and applicable California furnishing or protocol requirements.
- Controlled substances carry additional requirements — schedule, CURES, and e-prescribing rules apply.
- Veterinary prescriptions follow their own pathway; note species and weight.
- Confirm current state and federal requirements with your compliance resources — regulations change.
Not sure how to write it?
Schedule a pharmacist consultation. We'll walk through actives, strengths, base selection, and dosage form before you send the prescription — and answer your office staff's questions directly.
🚀 Sending It to Mixwell
- Write the six elements — actives, strength, base, dosage form, quantity, and Sig.
- Fax or e-prescribe to Mixwell Compounding Pharmacy in Chino, CA.
- Call (909) 378-7301 to confirm the formulation and current turnaround time.
- Your patient picks up at our Chino pharmacy, or we can deliver — we serve patients across California.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What information does a compounded prescription require?
Six elements: the active ingredient(s), the strength or concentration (with a ratio for combinations), the base or vehicle, the dosage form, the quantity to dispense, and the directions for use. Including all six lets the pharmacy prepare it without a clarification call.
Do I have to specify the base?
No — you can write "pharmacist's choice" and our pharmacists will select a base matched to the route and the active. But naming a base gives you direct control over the vehicle, which matters for transdermal and mucosal preparations.
Can Mixwell compound sterile preparations or injectables?
No. Mixwell is a non-sterile compounding pharmacy. We do not prepare injectables, IV admixtures, or ophthalmics. Those fall under USP <797> and require a 503A sterile or 503B outsourcing facility.
How do I send a prescription to Mixwell?
Fax or e-prescribe to our Chino, CA pharmacy, then call (909) 378-7301 to confirm the formulation and turnaround time. Office managers are welcome to call with questions before sending.
Can office staff schedule a consultation on a prescriber's behalf?
Yes. Practice and office managers can call (909) 378-7301 to schedule a pharmacist consultation, ask about dosage forms and bases, or confirm what a prescription needs before it's sent.
Does Mixwell accept insurance?
Mixwell does not accept insurance. Call (909) 378-7301 for current pricing.
Questions Before You Write It? Call Us.
Mixwell Compounding Pharmacy
13788 Roswell Ave, Ste 158 · Chino, CA 91710
PCCA Member · CA Licensed · USP <795> / <800> · Non-Sterile Compounding · Delivery Across California
📞 Call (909) 378-7301References: United States Pharmacopeia. General Chapter <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding — Nonsterile Preparations. | United States Pharmacopeia. General Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding — Sterile Preparations. | U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Compounding and the FD&C Act — Sections 503A and 503B. | California State Board of Pharmacy. Compounding regulations and prescription requirements. | Lipoderm®, PermE8™, WO6™, SuspendIt®, and MucoLox™ are compounding bases from PCCA; base characteristics per manufacturer technical documentation. | Educational information for licensed prescribers; not legal, regulatory, or clinical advice, and not a substitute for professional judgment. Confirm current requirements with your own compliance resources. Reviewed by Mixwell Compounding Pharmacy compounding team, Chino, CA.