FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions About Our Pharmacy and Compounding Service
The things patients ask us most often at the counter and on the phone, answered properly. If your question is not here, call 07 5527 9428 or send us a message.
About the Pharmacy
Who we are, where we sit and who looks after you.
Who owns Paradise Compounding Pharmacy?
The pharmacy is owned and run by Khalid, a registered pharmacist who opened it in 2022 and still works behind the counter. You can read more about the pharmacy and the team.
Are you part of My Doctors Medical Clinic?
We are located inside My Doctors Medical Clinic at Piazza 16, 3221 Surfers Paradise Boulevarde, but we are a separate business. You can use the pharmacy whether or not you see a doctor at the clinic.
Do I have to be a patient of the clinic to use the pharmacy?
No. Anyone can bring a prescription to us, from any doctor, specialist, dentist or vet, anywhere in Australia. Plenty of our patients have never set foot in the clinic upstairs.
Are your pharmacists registered?
Yes. Every pharmacist working at Paradise Compounding Pharmacy is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, as the law requires. Compounded preparations are checked by a registered pharmacist before they leave the pharmacy.
What makes you different from a regular chemist?
A regular chemist dispenses what a manufacturer already made. We do that too, and we also compound, which means making a medicine from individual ingredients to one patient’s prescription. More on compounding.
Can I use a prescription written outside Queensland?
Yes. A prescription written by a registered Australian prescriber can be dispensed anywhere in Australia, including here. Bring it in, post it, or send us the eScript token.
What happens if my prescription has expired?
Most prescriptions are valid for twelve months from the date they were written. If yours has passed that date we cannot dispense it and you will need a new one from your prescriber. Bring it in anyway and we will check the date with you.
How many repeats can I get from one prescription?
That is set by your prescriber and written on the script itself. We record each repeat as it is dispensed so you always know how many are left, and we will tell you when you are on your last one.
Can you dispense a generic instead of the brand my doctor wrote?
Often yes, and it is usually cheaper. We will explain the difference and let you decide. If your prescriber has ticked the box preventing brand substitution, or you would rather stay on the brand you know, we dispense exactly what was written.
Do you keep a record of what I have been dispensed?
Yes. Your dispensing history is kept at the pharmacy, which is how we can check for interactions when something new is added and tell you when a repeat is due.
Can someone else collect my medicine for me?
Yes, as long as they know whose medicine they are collecting. For some medicines we may need to confirm details with you first, and we will say so when you drop the script in.
Compounding
What we can make, how, and what to expect.
Can you make a medicine that is not manufactured at all?
If a prescriber writes a formula we can prepare, usually yes. Compounding is not limited to copying products that already exist. What matters is that the ingredients are available to us and the preparation can be made safely to that formula.
Why do compounded medicines expire sooner?
A manufactured product is made under industrial conditions with stabilisers and sealed packaging designed for a long shelf life. A compounded preparation is made fresh for one patient, so we assign a shorter, conservative expiry. Check the label and ask us if you are unsure.
Can you flavour a medicine my child refuses to take?
Very often, yes. Flavouring is one of the most common reasons parents come to us. Your prescriber writes the medicine, we prepare it as a flavoured liquid or another form a child will actually accept. See paediatric compounding.
Is compounding safe?
Compounded medicines are prepared by registered pharmacists to a prescriber’s formula and checked before they are supplied. They are not tested as a mass produced product is, which is why they are made only when a commercial product will not do the job, and only on prescription.
Do you compound for other pharmacies, clinics or vets?
We regularly prepare medicines on prescriptions written by doctors, specialists, dentists and vets across the Gold Coast. If you are a prescriber, call us before you write the script and we will tell you what is achievable.
Can you compound a medicine that has been discontinued?
Sometimes. If the manufacturer has stopped making something you rely on, ask your prescriber whether the same active can be compounded. Bring us the old packaging or the product name and we will tell you whether it is possible.
Pricing, Payment and Returns
What things cost and what happens if something is wrong.
How much will my compounded medicine cost?
It depends on the ingredients, the strength, the dosage form and the quantity, so there is no flat rate. Call us with the details on the prescription and we will quote you before we make anything. You are never committed until you say go ahead.
Why is a compounded medicine more expensive than a tablet from the shelf?
Because it is made individually. The ingredients are bought in smaller quantities, a pharmacist spends time preparing and checking it, and it cannot be mass produced. You are paying for a preparation that exists only for you.
Can I return a compounded medicine?
No. Compounded preparations are made to one patient’s prescription and cannot be re-supplied to anyone else, so they cannot be returned or refunded. This is why we confirm the formula and the price with you before we start.
Is a compounded medicine covered by private health insurance?
Some extras policies contribute towards non PBS prescriptions. It depends entirely on your fund and your level of cover, so check with them. We can give you a receipt showing what was supplied.
Do you offer PBS Safety Net?
Yes. We are an approved PBS pharmacy, so PBS prescriptions filled here count towards your Safety Net. Bring your Medicare card and your concession card if you hold one.
Delivery and Postage
Getting your medicine to you, on the Gold Coast or anywhere else.
Where do you deliver to?
Australia wide, through our courier partner Aramex. That includes everywhere on the Gold Coast and every other state and territory.
How much does delivery cost?
It depends on the destination and what is in the parcel. We confirm the cost with you before anything is sent, so you can choose to collect instead if you would rather.
How long does delivery take?
Transit time depends on where you are. Somewhere on the Gold Coast is quick, regional and interstate addresses take longer. We will give you an estimate when we arrange the dispatch.
Can my medicine be left at the door?
That depends on what it is. Some medicines require a signature and some need to stay cool, in which case leaving a parcel unattended is not appropriate. We will talk through the options with you.
Do you deliver medicines that need refrigeration?
Refrigerated items need to be handled differently and cannot simply be posted. Talk to us about your specific medicine and we will tell you what is possible.
Visiting the Pharmacy
Finding us and what to bring.
What are your opening hours over public holidays?
We open every day of the year except Christmas Day. Hours on other public holidays are the same as our normal weekend hours, but call ahead if you are making a special trip.
Do I need an appointment to talk about a compounded medicine?
No. Walk in and ask for a pharmacist. If your question needs a longer conversation, phone ahead on 07 5527 9428 and we will make sure someone is free.
What should I bring on my first visit?
Your prescription, your Medicare card, and your concession or Safety Net card if you hold one. It also helps to bring a list of everything else you take, including vitamins and supplements.
Where exactly is the pharmacy?
Piazza 16, 3221 Surfers Paradise Boulevarde, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, inside My Doctors Medical Clinic. Directions and a map.
Can I speak to a pharmacist about a medicine I did not buy from you?
Yes. If you have a question about a medicine you are taking, ask us. We would rather answer it than have you guess.
Still Have a Question?
Call the pharmacy and ask. We are open seven days on Surfers Paradise Boulevarde, and no question about your medicine is too small.