What is the role of the quality assurance program in a sterile compounding pharmacy?

The role of the quality assurance program in a sterile compounding pharmacy is centered on monitoring compliance and ensuring the quality of compounded sterile preparations (CSPs). This program encompasses systematic reviews and checks designed to uphold the standards established by regulatory agencies, such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

Quality assurance involves developing policies and procedures that govern compounding practices, conducting regular audits and assessments, and ensuring that all equipment, environments, and personnel involved in compounding meet stringent quality and safety standards. Moreover, it helps to identify any areas of improvement or risk, thereby ensuring that patient safety is prioritized and that the compounded medications meet the required specifications for sterility, potency, and efficacy.

In contrast to the other options, creating new drug formulations pertains more to research and development rather than quality assurance. Marketing strategies concern business operations that are outside the scope of a compounding pharmacy’s primary focus on patient safety and medication quality. Managing patient referrals is a clinical practice that does not relate directly to the core responsibilities of a quality assurance program within the context of sterile compounding. Thus, the emphasis of quality assurance in this setting is squarely on compliance and the integrity of CSPs.