I've gotten plenty of calls from surprised facilities saying "I just got
my shipment of neostigmine and the BUD is in 20 days. I'm not gonna
be able to use them in that time. They're wasted."
A good compounder can tell you the BUD of the drug you're about
to order so you can make an informed decision on the amount and
when to buy. They can even tell you how much time they think is left
in the BUD once it arrives at your facility. If the BUD is in 2 weeks
and you don't have many cases scheduled that require neostigmine,
maybe don't order a huge shipment. But be aware: Many 503B com-
pounders set a minimum quantity for pre-filled syringe purchases, and
it's typically only larger orders that qualify for free shipping.
Easy to cost-justify
Switching to prefilled syringes will never be significantly cheaper than
going with vials or ampules. But what you gain can be accounted for
in your calculations of cost and will add to the benefits of making the
switch. Considerations for improving safety with tamper-proof caps,
or increasing compliance with properly labeled syringes, or saving
