Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Ibadan, Dr Olufunke Dorothy Akin-Ajani, has called for renewed attention to extemporaneous compounding by community pharmacists, warning that persistent gaps in drug formulations for vulnerable populations continue to compromise patient care in Nigeria.
Speaking on the sidelines of an extemporaneous compounding masterclass at the 2026 annual summit of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria in Oyo State, Akin-Ajani said compounding remains a core professional responsibility that is increasingly being neglected due to weak regulatory guidance.
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She noted that many Nigerian pharmacists are hesitant to engage in extemporaneous preparations because of legal uncertainties surrounding the practice, despite a growing global shift towards compounding as a means of bridging gaps left by mass-produced medicines.
“Unlike industrially manufactured medicines, compounded preparations do not always have comprehensive stability and safety documentation. This places the full professional and legal responsibility on the pharmacist,” she said.
She, however, stressed that the practice remains indispensable, particularly in paediatric and neonatal care, where commercially available medicines are often unsuitable for children under six who cannot swallow tablets or capsules.
According to her, reformulation into syrups and suspensions is often necessary to ensure safe and effective dosing, especially in conditions such as neonatal hypertension, where appropriate paediatric formulations for many drugs are lacking.
Akin-Ajani warned against common household practices such as tablet splitting or dose estimation, describing them as unsafe and potentially harmful.
She explained that research shows that even scored tablets may deliver uneven doses when divided, with variations reaching up to 10 per cent in some cases.
“For drugs with a narrow therapeutic index, even small deviations in dose can lead to toxicity or treatment failure,” she said, adding that inaccurate dosing may worsen disease outcomes or lead to recurrent illness.
She also cautioned against dissolving tablets for later use or storing partially used syrups at home, noting that such practices expose patients to drug degradation and contamination risks.
Akin-Ajani urged community pharmacists to reassert their role in patient-centred care by providing safe compounded alternatives where commercially available formulations are inadequate, particularly for children, the elderly, patients with swallowing difficulties, and those on feeding tubes.
Also speaking, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Ibadan, Dr Oladapo Adetunji, said extemporaneous compounding is already embedded in the legal scope of pharmacy practice in Nigeria.
He, however, identified the absence of strict, well-defined national guidelines as a major barrier to its wider adoption.
“The major challenge we have is the absence of strict, well-defined guidelines for extemporaneous compounding in Nigeria,” he said, adding that collaboration among academia, regulators, and community practitioners is essential to strengthen the practice.
According to him, the emerging regulatory role of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria is expected to provide clearer frameworks that will standardise compounding practice and enhance patient safety.
Adetunji clarified that while compounding places significant responsibility on pharmacists, it does not diminish its value but rather underscores the need for stronger regulation and professional oversight.
Explaining the concept to the public, he described compounding as the on-demand preparation of medicines by pharmacists when commercially available formulations are unsuitable or unavailable, such as converting adult tablet doses into child-appropriate formulations.
He noted that concerns about cost are often misplaced, explaining that while compounding may not necessarily make medicines cheaper, it improves affordability and access in specific clinical situations.
Adetunji further revealed that access to compounded medicines in Nigeria remains very limited, estimating that fewer than 10 per cent of patients currently benefit from such services.
He urged pharmacists to strengthen patient monitoring systems to build public confidence in compounded therapies, stressing that available feedback has largely been positive where the practice is properly implemented.
He reaffirmed that, with appropriate regulation and stronger professional commitment, extemporaneous compounding could significantly improve personalised healthcare delivery in Nigeria, particularly for vulnerable patient groups.
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