PCAB Accreditation

Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – Downtown Reno and Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – South Reno have the distinction of being the first two pharmacies in the state of Nevada to earn the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board’s Seal of Accreditation – a system of standards created by some of the leading organizations in pharmacy. The accreditation demonstrates that Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – Downtown Reno and Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – South Reno meet the highest quality and safety standards in the pharmacy profession.

Compounding medications is an integral part of the practice of pharmacy and the demand for these customized medications is increasing every year. Yet many people may not even be aware of its role. Compounded medications are prescriptions that are written by physicians, veterinarians and other legally authorized prescribers and prepared for an individual patient by a specially trained pharmacist. Examples of compounded prescriptions are:

When a child needs a smaller dose of a medicine that is only commercially manufactured in adult-size doses.

When a person cannot tolerate the inactive ingredients (such as gluten or sugar) in manufactured medicines.

When a doctor believes a medicine is needed for his or her patient, but a manufacturer has discontinued the medicine for economic reasons.

Many pharmacies practice a small degree of compounding, while others specialize in the centuries-old practice.

"Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – Downtown Reno and Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – South Reno PCAB Accreditation status and designations as PCAB Accredited™ compounding pharmacies let the public know that Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – Downtown Reno and Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – South Reno rank among the best for quality and safety,” said David Vasenden, Registered Pharmacist/Owner. "The PCAB Seal of Accreditation shows our dedication to protecting our patients by practicing safe, high-quality compounding."

With the high volume of prescriptions that are compounded each year, there has been a need for an enhanced, profession-wide system of standards by which each compounding pharmacy can test its quality processes. While compounding pharmacy is regulated by the state, PCAB Accreditation is an even more comprehensive way to ensure a compounding pharmacy is meeting the highest quality and safety standards.

To earn PCAB Accreditation, Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – Downtown Reno and Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – South Reno had to complete an extensive application, document written policies and provide an analysis of quality procedures that was reviewed by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board and some of the leading figures in the field of compounding. Next, the pharmacies opened their doors for an extensive on-site inspection led by compounding experts. Only when these stringent evaluations were completed did the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board officially grant Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – Downtown Reno and Sierra Health Mart Pharmacy – South Reno the PCAB Seal of Accreditation and the right to use the designation "PCAB Accredited™ compounding pharmacy."

"We are honored by this PCAB accreditation. It confirms our commitment to providing safe, personalized solutions that meet the medical needs of our patients - and the needs of the healthcare providers in our community who rely on us for these specialized medicines," said David Vasenden, Registered Pharmacist/Owner. "We believe this will further strengthen the bond of trust between our pharmacies and the Reno/Sparks community."