by Kayla Valigura, PharmD candidate, University of Houston College of Pharmacy

I was incredibly honored to receive the 2022 Student Scholarship Award from PCCA Institute in October, as well as speak at PCCA’s International Seminar in front of so many devoted compounding pharmacists, technicians and support personnel. Now, I’m delighted to share portions of my speech and hope to motivate all compounders into acting on something near and dear to my heart.

Hooked on Compounding

Before applying to pharmacy school, I shadowed my hometown independent pharmacy. It’s there I first learned about compounding and first heard about PCCA. I was immediately hooked! I listened to calls the pharmacy technician made to PCCA’s Clinical Services team and was struck by their compassion, knowledge and reassurance.

After I applied and was accepted to the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, I was excited to learn that compounding was part of our first-year curriculum. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our labs were cut short, and we were left with rapid-fire compounding techniques that made us sweat through our PPE.

As some may recall, it’s easy to lose sight of the big dreams and aspirations you had when you started pharmacy school. I began feeling like my life was an endless study session, a continuous loop of lecture recordings. I began wondering why I applied to pharmacy school in the first place, until I stepped foot into PCCA for the Advanced Compounding Lab. I enjoyed my compounding labs at UH, but learning more about compounding in the PCCA environment really opened my eyes. I don’t recall what my expectations were but I do know PCCA far exceeded all of them. I can honestly say I had more fun and felt more passion for the field in those two days than I had during my first two years in pharmacy school. And with two years of pharmacy school behind me, all of the light bulbs started to go off and everything made sense. I knew exactly where I was supposed to be.

After having this monumental realization, I was bursting at the seams with excitement. And I was telling anyone who listened all about compounding. I quickly noticed, however, that many people had never heard of compounding, let alone personalized medicine.

Honestly, at first I felt a bit disheartened. I have so much passion for our profession, but there was such a lack of recognition for it. However, it didn't take me long to figure out that the solution was right there in the problem. The way I see it, that lack of recognition leaves everything open-ended.

Compounding: It’s Truly Personal

I believe that our profession is synonymous with the “power of yet.” In other words, it hasn't been done yet. There really is no limit to what we can accomplish and who we can help. And I am ready to be a part of these discoveries. To be more specific, I'd like to see more changes and research in mental health treatment options.

Suicide rates are higher than they've ever been, and everywhere you turn, there are posters about how to better manage your mental health. There is so much talk about patients with mental health disorders, but where is the action?

I have generalized anxiety disorder and have tried my fair share of antidepressants. So I speak from personal experience, as well as with empathy and compassion for thousands of individuals when I say the current pharmacological treatment options for mental health disorders are subpar at best. Most of the time, the only option for patients is to try several antidepressants until they find one that has the least amount of side effects. This doesn't sound so bad until you consider that most of these medications take about a month or so to reach full benefit — not to mention that many can significantly worsen a patient's condition.

This can be an incredibly exhausting process, and most of the time patients will give up entirely and stop seeking treatment. There just has to be a better way.

I firmly believe that mental health treatments need to shift away from trying to fit a patient to a medication and move toward fitting a medication to an individual patient. I believe compounding could play a major role in mental health treatments because it offers a uniquely personalized option developed exclusively for one person.

Now Is the Time to ACT

The time is now because patients need our help. And although my heart absolutely breaks for all of the individuals who we couldn’t help, I am incredibly hopeful at the possibility of transforming mental health treatments in the future and ensuring the rights of patients who use compounded preparations today.

Like many of you, I have an unwavering passion for people. I live and breathe to help others and constantly look for ways to help those in need. I truly am an advocate for the people, and right now the people need me. The compounding profession needs me. And I need you.

I need you to join me in actively advocating for our profession. We can collectively raise our voices to state legislators and congressional members who hold the authority to help us positively impact the lives of individuals who needlessly suffer. I urge you — especially those who compound for HRT patients — to join me on May 16-17 at the 11^th Annual ACT Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. Together, we can transform the “power of yet” into the “power of now” and reduce the limits on what we can achieve and who we can help.

As the recipient of PCCA Institute’s 2022 Student Scholarship Award, Kayla will accompany the PCCA Public Affairs team during the 11^th Annual ACT Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 16-17. Please join us in advocating for compounding pharmacies and register now.