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Ryan Dyer, RPh.

Founder & Pharmacist in Charge
20+ years in compounding
University of Rhode Island
RI Pharmacist License #RPH04568

About this author

Ryan D. Dyer, RPh, is the founder and Pharmacist in Charge of Bayview Pharmacy in Warwick, Rhode Island. He has spent more than 20 years in pharmaceutical compounding, preparing medications to a prescriber's exact specification for patients whose needs a manufactured product does not meet. A Maine native, Ryan earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island and returned home to Maine, where he worked as a pharmacy manager for Wal-Mart in Bangor. In 1998 he opened Pittsfield Pharmacy in Pittsfield, Maine, and ran it as an independent community pharmacy until 2005. In 2006 he founded Bayview Pharmacy in Rhode Island. He has served as its Pharmacist in Charge ever since, overseeing the pharmacy's non-sterile, sterile and hazardous-drug compounding practice and the accuracy of every preparation that leaves the building. He is licensed as a pharmacist in Rhode Island and in Maine. Ryan reviews the clinical content published on this site. An article carrying a "Medically reviewed by Ryan Dyer, RPh" line has been checked by him for accuracy and for compliance with the claim standards that apply to compounded preparations.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy University of Rhode Island

Career

2006 to present Founder and Pharmacist in Charge, Bayview Pharmacy, Warwick, Rhode Island 1998 to 2005 Owner and Pharmacist, Pittsfield Pharmacy, Pittsfield, Maine Before 1998 Pharmacy Manager, Wal-Mart, Bangor, Maine

Areas of expertise

Pharmaceutical compounding, Non-sterile compounding (USP 795), Sterile compounding (USP 797), Hazardous drug handling (USP 800), Community pharmacy practice, Pharmacy operations and quality

Articles written and reviewed

Maya, a woman in her early 30s, unpacking carrots, broccoli, apples, eggs and brown rice from a canvas grocery bag in her kitchen

Understanding the Basics of Nutrition: A Guide for Newbies to Eating Healthy

Understanding the Basics of Nutrition: A Guide for Newbies to Eating Healthy
A plain-language starting point on macronutrients, portions and reading a label, without the jargon or the fad diets.
understanding-the-basics-of-nutrition-a-guide-for-newbies-to-eating-healthy
Man at his bathroom mirror applying drops to his scalp with Bayview compounded minoxidil finasteride topical solution on the shelf

Compounded Minoxidil Solutions: A Personalized Approach to Hair Loss Treatment

Compounded Minoxidil Solutions: A Personalized Approach to Hair Loss Treatment
Minoxidil can be compounded at strengths and in vehicles no manufacturer makes, and combined with other agents a prescriber orders.
compounded-minoxidil-solutions-a-personalized-approach-to-hair-loss-treatment
Clinician spreading a thin layer of Bayview compounded BLT numbing cream on Alana's forearm before a procedure, the jar on the tray beside them

Compounded BLT Topicals: What They Are and How They Are Used

Compounded BLT Topicals: What They Are and How They Are Used
BLT is a compounded, prescription-only topical anesthetic used before dermatologic and cosmetic procedures. What is in it and how it is used.
compounded-blt-topicals
Leah, a new mother in her early 30s, reading the label on a jar of Bayview compounded all purpose nipple ointment in her nursery while her baby sleeps

All-Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO): What It Is and How It Is Used

All-Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO): What It Is and How It Is Used
A compounded, prescription-only preparation associated with Dr. Jack Newman. What is in it, how it is used, and what to ask your prescriber.
jack-newmans-all-purpose-nipple-ointment
Daniel, a man in his late 40s, reading the label on a bottle of Bayview compounded ketamine nasal spray at his kitchen table

Compounded Ketamine Nasal Spray: What the FDA Has Said

Compounded Ketamine Nasal Spray: What the FDA Has Said
A controlled substance prepared only against a prescription. The FDA has issued a specific alert about it that is worth reading first.
ketamine-nasal-spray-an-alternative-treatment-option-for-pain-management
Rosa, a woman in her late 40s, taking a capsule with a glass of water at her kitchen table, a bottle of Bayview compounded low dose naltrexone capsules beside her

Low-Dose Naltrexone: What It Is and What the Evidence Shows

Low-Dose Naltrexone: What It Is and What the Evidence Shows
A compounded, off-label use of an approved medication. What it is, how it is thought to work, and what the evidence does and does not show.
what-is-low-dose-naltrexone
Walt, a man in his early 60s, brushing Bayview compounded ciclopirox nail lacquer onto his big toenail in his bathroom

Nail Fungus (Onychomycosis): Treatment Options and What to Expect

Nail Fungus (Onychomycosis): Treatment Options and What to Expect
How onychomycosis is confirmed, what oral and topical treatments achieve in trials, where compounding fits, and how long treatment takes.
innovative-treatments-for-nail-fungus-using-compounded-medications
Woman applying Bayview compounded topical pain cream to the side of her jaw at her bathroom mirror

Compounded Medications for TMJ Disorders: What to Know

Compounded Medications for TMJ Disorders: What to Know
What temporomandibular joint disorders involve, the treatment options a prescriber may consider, and where compounded preparations fit.
compounded-medications-for-tmj
Woman dotting gel onto her cheek at her bathroom mirror with Bayview compounded tretinoin niacinamide gel on the counter

Dermatology Compounding: When It Helps and When It Doesn't

Dermatology Compounding: When It Helps and When It Doesn't
The specific problems compounding solves in dermatology, what it cannot do, and how the vehicle changes the way a drug behaves.
customized-skincare-solutions-an-introduction-to-dermatology-compounding
Maya giving her child a bedtime dose of Bayview compounded atropine eye drops, the child seen from behind on the pillow

Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops for Myopia Progression in Children

Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops for Myopia Progression in Children
Low-dose atropine is prescribed by eye doctors to slow short-sightedness in children. How it is used and what the evidence currently shows.
atropine-ophthalmic-drops-for-the-prevention-of-myopia-progression
An older man at his kitchen table rubbing Bayview compounded topical pain cream into the back of his hand

Compounded Options in Pain Management: What They Are and What to Ask

Compounded Options in Pain Management: What They Are and What to Ask
What compounded preparations are in pain management, where they fit, and what the evidence does and does not support.
exploring-compounded-alternatives-to-opioids-for-safe-pain-management
Ellen rubbing Bayview compounded bi-est cream into her forearm at the bathroom sink, the pump bottle on the counter

Balancing Your Hormones With Hormone Replacement Therapy

Balancing Your Hormones With Hormone Replacement Therapy
What hormone replacement therapy involves, the forms it is prescribed in, and the questions worth raising with your prescriber.
balancing-your-hormones-with-hormone-replacement-therapy
Marcus tipping a capsule from his vial of Bayview compounded enclomiphene capsules into his hand at breakfast

Clomid: A Potential Treatment for Hypogonadism or Low Serum Testosterone Levels

Clomid: A Potential Treatment for Hypogonadism or Low Serum Testosterone Levels
Clomiphene citrate is prescribed off-label in men for low testosterone. How it is thought to work, and what a prescriber weighs.
clomid-a-potential-treatment-for-hypogonadism-or-low-serum-testosterone-levels
Elena rubbing a small amount of cream into her forearm at the bathroom sink, with Bayview compounded testosterone cream on the counter

Testosterone Therapy for Women: What the Evidence Supports

Testosterone Therapy for Women: What the Evidence Supports
No FDA-approved testosterone product exists for women in the US, so every prescription is off-label. What the trial evidence supports.
testosterone-replacement-therapy-for-women-what-you-need-to-know
Woman placing an unopened box of Bayview compounded suppositories in her refrigerator door

Compounded Rectal Rockets: What They Are and What Goes In Them

Compounded Rectal Rockets: What They Are and What Goes In Them
Compounded rectal suppositories are prescribed for hemorrhoids and anal fissures. What goes into them and how they are used.
compounded-rectal-rockets
A mother at her kitchen counter drawing a dose of Bayview compounded oral suspension into an oral syringe while her toddler sits in a high chair

Drug Shortages and Compounding: What Is Actually Allowed

Drug Shortages and Compounding: What Is Actually Allowed
What federal law actually allows a compounding pharmacy to make when a drug is in short supply, and what it does not.
drug-shortages-and-compounding
Priya packing her supplement bottles into a tote bag at the kitchen table to bring to a pharmacist

Immune Support Supplements: What the Evidence Actually Says

Immune Support Supplements: What the Evidence Actually Says
What the evidence supports for vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, echinacea and elderberry, what it does not, and what to ask a pharmacist.
a-comprehensive-guide-to-immune-boosting-supplements
A dentist in gloves and a mask treating a patient's lower back tooth socket in a dental chair

Dry Socket Paste: What It Is and How It Is Used

Dry Socket Paste: What It Is and How It Is Used
Dry socket can follow a tooth extraction. The risk factors, the signs to watch for, and what medicated dressings are used for.
dry-socket-paste
Marcus rubbing a small amount of cream into his upper arm at the bathroom sink, with Bayview compounded testosterone cream on the counter

Testosterone Replacement Therapy: What It Is and What to Weigh

Testosterone Replacement Therapy: What It Is and What to Weigh
Testosterone replacement therapy is prescribed for diagnosed hypogonadism. What it involves, the known risks, and why diagnosis comes first.
testosterone-replacement-therapy-trt-a-complete-overview
Nora placing a small troche in her mouth at her home desk, with a box of Bayview compounded oxytocin troches beside her laptop

Oxytocin: The Love Hormone with Multiple Uses

Oxytocin: The Love Hormone with Multiple Uses
What oxytocin is, the compounded forms it is prescribed in, and what is and is not established about its use.
oxytocin-the-love-hormone-with-multiple-uses
A man at his kitchen counter squinting at the back of a supplement bottle

Horny Goat Weed vs. Sildenafil: What the Difference Actually Is

Horny Goat Weed vs. Sildenafil: What the Difference Actually Is
One is a dietary supplement, the other is an approved prescription medicine. The distinction matters more than most comparisons of the two let on.
horny-goat-weed-vs-viagra-whats-the-difference
Greg, a man in his mid 50s, reading the label on a box of Bayview compounded sildenafil troches at his kitchen counter

Sildenafil (Viagra): How It Works, How It Is Taken, and Safety

Sildenafil (Viagra): How It Works, How It Is Taken, and Safety
How sildenafil works, how it is taken, the interactions that matter most, and where compounding does and does not fit.
viagra-the-most-well-known-erectile-dysfunction-drug
Anne giving her mother Ruth a small dose with an oral syringe at home in bed, with Bayview compounded morphine oral concentrate on the nightstand

Palliative Care: Easing the Suffering of Chronic Illness

Palliative Care: Easing the Suffering of Chronic Illness
What palliative care involves, and the compounded preparations a hospice or palliative team may order for symptom control.
palliative-care-easing-the-suffering-of-chronic-illness
Renee taking a brisk walk along a tree-lined sidewalk on an autumn morning

5 Easy Ways to Get Started With Exercise

5 Easy Ways to Get Started With Exercise
Five small ways to build a routine you will actually keep, written for people starting from nothing with no gym.
5-easy-ways-to-get-started-with-exercise
Man at his desk placing a troche under his tongue beside a box of Bayview compounded apomorphine sublingual troches

Compounding Sublingual Medications

Compounding Sublingual Medications
Why some medications are placed under the tongue, how absorption differs from swallowing, and which forms are compounded that way.
compounding-sublingual-medications
Woman giving her elderly mother a dose from an oral syringe at the kitchen table with a bottle of Bayview compounded oral suspension

Compounding and Retail Pharmacies: What's the Difference?

Compounding and Retail Pharmacies: What's the Difference?
A compounding pharmacy prepares medications to a prescriber's specification; a retail pharmacy dispenses manufactured products.
compounding-and-retail-pharmacies-whats-the-difference