Compounded Medicine: Patients Call for Greater Access to Cutting-Edge Bespoke Medication and Treatments to Tackle Health Challenges
• Over a third of UK adults (36%) report that standard GP-prescribed medicines often fail to meet their health needs.
• 28% feel resigned that 2025 won’t bring solutions for their health conditions.
• 58% believe having the option between standard and personalised medicines is important, rising to 80% among Gen Z and 76% of millennials.
• Roseway Labs is calling on UK health sector to recognise the potential of innovative personalised care options to ease pressure on the NHS and address growing patient needs and demands.
New research reveals over a third of UK adults (36%) report that standard GP-prescribed medicines often fail to meet their health needs. The findings, released by Roseway Labs, a leading private compounding pharmacy specialising in personalised medications, highlight growing dissatisfaction with the one-size-fits-all approach to medicine in the UK.
With the timeline for developing new licensed medicines remaining lengthy and costly, many feel that their needs are unmet: over a quarter (28%) feel resigned that 2025 won’t bring solutions for their health conditions.
The government’s cash incentive scheme highlights the urgent need for innovative solutions to alleviate growing GP and hospital waiting times [1]. Accessed privately, compounding pharmacies like Roseway Labs can help ease this pressure by providing personalised treatments that address individual needs and reduce repeat GP visits caused by ineffective standard prescriptions. And at a time when the average 10-minute face-to-face GP consultation costs £56 [2].
The UK has benefited from hospital compounding for decades, yet awareness within primary care remains low, with only 15% of UK adults able to confidently define the term and just 8% of patients having discussed personalised medicine with their GP, even when standard treatments fail. Now compounded medicine is accessed through private care, but it’s important to provide people who need it with this increased choice.
The findings reveal that 73% of people would be open to using a pharmacy that personalises medicines and supplements to better address health concerns. Moreover, 58% believe having a choice between standard and personalised medicines is important, rising to 80% among Gen Z and 76% of millennials. The demand for personalised care among younger generations is likely to grow as they age and encounter age-related conditions, highlighting the need for a step change now to ensure future healthcare options meet their evolving expectations.
Elizabeth Philp, CEO & Founder of Roseway Labs, commented: “A one-size-fits-all approach often fails to address the complexities of individual health needs, leaving many patients feeling despondent about their future. While regular prescriptions work well for some, others face challenges such as inadequate symptom relief, adverse effects, or difficulty adhering to treatment plans. Personalised medicine can complement NHS treatments and care, offering tailored solutions that empower patients and help them lead healthier lives.”
Skin conditions and allergies are good examples of where compounded medicines can help patients. Simply changing the medication’s form – from pill to liquid – or removing certain ingredients in the pill that are allergenic can be the difference between a patient finding relief from an allergy or even being able to take their medication as prescribed.
Miriam Martinez Callejas, Superintendent Pharmacist & Founder of Roseway Labs, commented: “With an ageing population and growing demand for tailored care among Gen Z and millennials, personalised medicine provides an essential option for those whose needs aren’t met by standard treatments. Often likened to the Savile Row of medicine, compounded treatments offer custom dosages, formulations, and combination of ingredients, much like a tailored suit fits where off-the-rack clothing cannot. Our goal is to collaborate with GPs and healthcare professionals to make personalised medicine a key part of future healthcare innovations in the UK.”
Compounding pharmacies play a crucial role in addressing medication shortages by formulating alternative solutions when commercially available drugs are unavailable. They can create customised doses, help out in times of shortage, or offer equivalent treatments, ensuring patients have access to the care they need without interruption.
Roseway Labs is dedicated to advancing innovation in personalised care, empowering patients with bespoke treatments that address their unique health needs and improve their quality of life. By partnering with GPs and healthcare professionals, Roseway Labs wants to make personalised medicine a valuable option within the UK healthcare system, helping to ease the strain on the NHS.
To learn more about personalised medicine from Roseway Labs, visit www.rosewaylabs.com or speak to your healthcare professional.
[1] Cash incentives for GPs under Labour’s radical plan to cut NHS waiting lists | NHS | The Guardian
[2] Sources: HM Treasury (2023) and NHS England (2023)
ABOUT ROSEWAY LABS
Roseway Labs is an award-winning, leading private pharmacy specialising in the compounding of personalised medications along with the provision of licensed and unlicensed medications to private doctors and patients, focusing on the fields of dermatology, allergies, hair loss, women’s health, men’s health and functional medicine.
With a steadfast commitment to patient well-being, ethical practice and integrity, Roseway Labs combines innovative formulations, unique technology, and personalised care to provide effective therapies for a range of health conditions. Prescriptions are received through eRoseway, an electronic prescribing system and dispatched through postal services directly to the patient.