Individualized Medications

Whether they’re creating a personalized pain cream for a cancer patient, a medicated patch for the elderly man that can’t swallow his pills, or a gluten-free prescription lollipop for the child that has celiac disease- the pharmacists at Muniz Rio Grande Pharmacy save lives every day through the work that they do. The Muniz family doesn’t see their pharmacy as just a business, but as their contribution to the Rio Grande Valley. Loyal customers often stop by just to see a familiar face, whether it is Mr. Robert Muniz, Sr. or his son, Dr. Bobby Muniz or their cousin Dr. Michael Muniz.  The two generations share a passion for improving people’s health and comfort through personalized treatment. The pharmacy has been in Harlingen for over 40 years and is trusted and esteemed throughout the entire valley.

What makes Muniz Rio Grande Pharmacy stand out from their competition is their commitment to personalizing their services to each individual customer. Their compounding service is a perfect example of how they fulfill this commitment.

“Compounding is an individualized medication customized for a person. It may be a baby who cannot swallow a tablet, so we crush the tablet, put in a suspension, or even put it in a transdermal cream so the medication can be absorbed by the body,” said Dr. Bobby Muniz, pharmacist and one of the owners of Muniz Rio Grande Pharmacy. “This can also be done with adults, specifically when you want to bypass the liver to prevent any type of side effects.” Back in the day, this was how all prescriptions were filled. Nowadays, the big drug manufacturing companies have almost obliterated this process. Compounding requires extensive training and most pharmacists are not prepared for this. The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) estimates that only 7,500 pharmacies in the United States are able to provide this service. Luckily, the Rio Grande Valley is home to one of them.