What is the BUD for high risk compounded medications when refrigerated?

The best understanding of the beyond-use date (BUD) for high-risk compounded medications when refrigerated is that it is 3 days. High-risk compounding is defined as the preparation of sterile products under conditions that are not controlled or that introduce a higher chance of contamination, such as using non-sterile ingredients or compounding in an environment without proper control over airflow and aseptic practices.

When it comes to refrigeration, the BUD is crucial for ensuring patient safety. A 3-day BUD for high-risk compounded medications stored in the fridge is set to minimize the risk of microbial growth, which can occur even in cooler environments. This shorter BUD reflects the elevated risk involved with these products and the need for them to be used or discarded quickly to prevent potential harm to patients.

Other durations typically mentioned, such as 9 days, 24 hours, or 14 days, are associated with other categories of compounded medications or different storage conditions, which do not apply to high-risk items when stored in refrigeration. For instance, 24 hours is generally used for immediate-use preparations that are compounded in emergency situations, whereas longer BUDs typically apply to lower-risk compounded medications. Thus, the answer of 3 days aligns with established guidelines for high