RC Outsourcing operates somewhere between a traditional pharmacy and a drug manufacturer, producing compounded medications for health care facilities without individual patient prescriptions.
Raymond Carlson, owner of RC Outsourcing, explains how the company compounds medications from raw ingredients for distribution to clinics, hospitals and other health care facilities. Carlson says the model distinguishes RC Outsourcing from a traditional retail or compounding pharmacy because its products are prepared without knowing the individual patient who will ultimately receive them.
Carlson traces the business to his work with sterile compounding and pain pumps at Mercy Health. He later starts his own operation in Poland and expands from sterile compounding into medications related to hormones, thyroid care and other treatments.
RC Outsourcing operates as a 503B outsourcing facility, with an emphasis on sterility, quality control and procedures that meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements. Carlson says the regulatory process limits the number of medications the facility produces because demonstrating the ability to safely compound each drug requires significant time and investment.
Carlson says outsourcing facilities can also provide additional pharmaceutical capacity during shortages or other disruptions, helping health care providers maintain access to needed medications when traditional supplies become limited.