Some people know from an early age what they want to be when they grow up. Pharmacist Chris Currin, co-founder and managing director of Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy, in Chester, grew up in the business. His father and uncle are pharmacists who had their own local pharmacies where Currin spent his summers working, learning and forming the dream of providing customized patient care. He is leading the company’s expansion to become a state-of-the-art location in Towne Center West, just west of the Short Pump Town Center mall. Set to open September 1, the new facility will implement special industry standards two years ahead of the required deadline.

A compounding pharmacy is the opposite of the cookie-cutter solutions offered by big drug manufacturers. While there is a role in pharmacy for mass production of certain medicines for common concerns, fillers and preservatives are often part of that manufacturing process, and patients may have allergies to the extra ingredients. A compounding pharmacy uses the old-fashioned method of mixing only the useful and necessary ingredients to make the best pharmaceutical solution for the individual needs of each patient. Even though this individualized approach to pharmacy harkens to a simpler time, it still proves to be a successful business today, as evidenced by the growth of Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy.

Along with providing individualized patient care, Currin’s dream is to help people in a more far-reaching manner. “It has always been about the patients,” he says. “Our expansion is based on their needs, and we realized we weren’t reaching enough people.” At the new Rx3, there will be a clean room with negative air pressure that helps keep the worker and the ingredients as free as possible of contaminants in the air. “Our goal is and has always been to improve patient outcomes,” says Currin.

Besides custom-filling prescriptions in the cleanest and safest way possible, Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy offers hormone and other testing, nutritional counseling and a full line of supplements that can be tailored to a variety of health concerns. They accept all major insurances and also provide traditional retail pharmacy services. When a patient is ready for a lifestyle change, Rx3 has tools to help, all initiated by patients’ requests. Rx3 prides themselves on delivering top-notch care and not just selling services. This customized and safe approach to making medicine is also available for animals. Rx3 offers compounding pharmacy services for pets and works with the Richmond Metropolitan Zoo.

Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy is located at 12230 Iron Bridge Rd., Ste. C, Chester and 11934 W. Broad St., Ste. C, Short Pump. For more information, call 804-717-5000 or visit Rx3Pharmacy.com.