Who is ultimately responsible for maintaining compliance in the compounding area?

In a pharmacy setting, the pharmacist in charge (PIC) holds ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the compounding area complies with all applicable laws, regulations, and standards. The PIC is tasked with overseeing the standards of practice, which includes the inspection of equipment, ensuring that proper procedures are followed, training staff, and making sure that all activities in the compounding area meet both state and federal regulations.

While all pharmacy staff collectively contribute to maintaining compliance through their actions, and technicians play essential roles in executing the processes under the guidance of the pharmacist, the PIC is the designated person accountable for the overall compliance and safety of the pharmacy operations. The role of the corporate pharmacy office may involve setting policies and procedures, but the immediate, on-the-ground accountability for compliance in compounding lies with the PIC.