Ask the Pharmacist

Question:

Several of our claimants have been receiving various topical medications for pain conditions. Why would these be used in place of traditional oral therapies? Many of these are costly, and I wonder if there are alternatives available.

Answer:

There is a litany of topical medications seen in workers' compensation patients. Some of these are available over-the-counter, some require a prescription, and some must be "made from scratch" or compounded by a pharmacist in response to a prescriber's order.