FLORENCE – Moss Compounding Pharmacy in Florence celebrates its 45th anniversary this month.
The pharmacy, at 2500 Hoffmeyer Road, customizes prescriptions for people and animals.
Dr. Bryan Ziegler, pharmacist, said he has compounded medicines for not only humans but also snakes, birds, goats, horses, ducks, monkeys and other animals that are sensitive or allergic to ingredients in medicines they are required to take or have challenges taking it.
“We have the flexibility to do a drug in a different way,” Ziegler said. “We are problem solvers. We are the only full-scale compounder within 70 miles of here.”
Moss Pharmacy was opened in 1977 on Second Loop Road by Robert Tenny Moss, who is now retired. Moss focused on patient care and customized treatment options through compounded medications. He served the community for 39 years. Ziegler purchased the pharmacy in 2016. He said Moss continued to work with him for a while.
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“I purchased it from him two days before Christmas,” Ziegler said. “I opened (at the new location) Jan. 2, 2017.
Ziegler said the business has continued to grow since that day.
Moss Pharmacy was changed to Moss Compounding Pharmacy. It is located within the same building as The Pharmacy, which provides traditional retail pharmacy products and services.
“We are one of the fastest-growing compound pharmacies in the country,” Ziegler said.
He said he has more than 4,000 formulas and creates new ones daily specific for individual patient needs whether humans or animals. He said the products are researched and vetted to ensure the highest quality.
He said the pharmacy researches every chemical and knows what is in it right down to the capsule type.
He said the medicines come in “every flavor under the sun.”
“There is a science to it,” he said.
He said you have to know how ingredients work together.
There are eight employees in the compound lab.
“It started with me and Tenny part time,” he said.
“When I was a student in the late ‘90s, I had the opportunity to work in a compound pharmacy,” Ziegler said.
Ziegler said he enjoyed working in that environment. He has worked in a hospital setting, retail pharmacy and home-based care also.
“This is what I love,” he said. “We are problem solvers. There is so much variety. You never get bored. We are not cookie-cutter medicine. That is exciting to me. I learn more every day. Every patient needs something special.”
Ziegler said they do a lot of different services — compounding, clinical services and hormone replacement therapy. They provide customized recommendations for hormone and supplement regimens specific to a patient’s needs.
Ziegler said hormone replacement therapy is number one. He said they work a lot with menopausal women. No two women are alike, he said.
The pharmacy offers appointment-based services with patients to offer customized treatments.
The pharmacy helps to promote health and wellness for human and veterinary patients. The business works with local physicians and veterinarians to solve patient’s unique needs with custom-made prescription medications.
“We continue to grow,” Ziegler said. “Every day there is something new that is presented to us, new challenges. We average a new creation in the lab every day.”
He said some days he has to go home and continue to think about a problem.
“We have been stumped before and we work it out,” he said.
Ziegler said people present the greatest challenges. With animals the challenge is mostly how to get the medicine in them.
Michelle Lee, sales representative for Moss Compounding Pharmacy, said give your most challenging patient to them; problem solving is what they do.
Ziegler was born in Lexington. He received his doctorate degree in pharmacy at the University of South Carolina and also a business degree at USC. He did his residency at National Community Pharmacist Association in Washington, D.C. He continues to be a member of the faculty at USC.
Ziegler said The Pharmacy was started in 2016 by Jarrod Tippins.
“I was at the University of South Carolina teaching in the pharmacy school when Jarrod was a student,” Ziegler said.
He said there seems to be a lot more interest in compounding now than there was 10 years ago. He said students come to his pharmacy to do their training.
Hours are: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. The retail side is open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Throughout September the pharmacy will be celebrating its anniversary with specials. The staff will celebrate on Sept. 23.