OBJECTIVES The preparation of intravenous compounds usually involves the use of high cost drugs, hence it is important to optimize the available resources in order to sustain the service without detriment in the quality offered to patients. The objective of this study was to quantify and document the savings reached through waste reduction and the reuse of intravenous compounds returned to the mix center unaltered, maintaining their sterility, in compliance with quality requirements, within their life spam, and as long as the medical prescriptions were equivalents. METHODS During 2006, through the daily registration of preparations in the compound center of the CMNO, a monthly analysis was carried out, considering the number of intravenous compounds prepared and returned, as well as the reason for this latter action; their final destination; and the percentage of preparation remnants to be disposed of. The data collected was tabulated and charted to determine monthly averages of each group, with the objective of identifying trends, if any. RESULTS During the year a total of 25,154 intravenous compounds were prepared, of which 404 (1.6%) were returned, 214 (0.85%) of these were reused and 190 (0.76%) were disposed of. On a monthly average from total compounds prepared: 1.64% are returned, 0.87% are reused and 0.77% are disposed of. CONCLUSIONS There are two ways to maximize the economy in the use of resources and medication: the first is to use the content of each drug vial to its maximum, thus reducing remnants to about 1% a month; the second is to optimize the intravenous compound units, in the compound center, that for different reasons are not administered to patients, having only to dispose of 0.76% of compounds prepared.