Aims: To examine the frequency, nature and determinants of pharmacy compounded medicines in Dutch community pharmacies.
Methods: A prospective nested case-control study comparing prescriptions for pharmacy compounded medicines (cases) with non-pharmacy compounded medicines (controls) was carried out in 79 Dutch community pharmacies. 991 Prescriptions for compounded medicines (cases), dispensed by the pharmacy on a predetermined day in a specific period (29 March until 11 April 2001), and 993 prescriptions for non-compounded medicines (controls) randomly selected on the same day, were studied.