PSA Prescription Writing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How many refills are permitted for a Schedule II controlled substance prescription in the US?
- Up to 2 refills within 30 days
- Up to 5 refills within 6 months
- Up to 1 refill within 60 days
- No refills are permitted (Correct answer)
Correct answer: No refills are permitted
Schedule II controlled substances (e.g., oxycodone, Adderall) cannot be refilled; a new prescription must be written for each dispensing.
Question 2: A prescriber calls in an emergency oral prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance. Within how many days must the written prescription follow?
- 3 days
- 7 days (Correct answer)
- 14 days
- 30 days
Correct answer: 7 days
Under DEA regulations, when a Schedule II drug is dispensed on an emergency oral prescription, the prescriber must provide a written, signed prescription to the pharmacy within 7 days.
Question 3: Which DEA drug schedule includes substances with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse?
- Schedule II
- Schedule III
- Schedule IV
- Schedule I (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Schedule I
Schedule I substances (e.g., heroin, LSD) are classified as having no accepted medical use and the highest potential for abuse and cannot be prescribed.
Question 4: For Schedule III and IV controlled substances, how many refills may be authorized within what time period?
- 3 refills within 3 months
- 5 refills within 6 months (Correct answer)
- 12 refills within 1 year
- Unlimited refills within 90 days
Correct answer: 5 refills within 6 months
Schedule III and IV prescriptions may be refilled up to 5 times within 6 months of the date the prescription was written, after which a new prescription is required.
Question 5: Which additional piece of information is required on a prescription for a controlled substance that is NOT needed for a non-controlled drug?
- Patient's date of birth
- Prescriber's DEA registration number (Correct answer)
- Prescriber's phone number
- Drug's National Drug Code (NDC)
Correct answer: Prescriber's DEA registration number
The prescriber's DEA registration number must appear on all controlled substance prescriptions so the pharmacist can verify the prescriber is authorized to prescribe those drugs.
Question 6: A patient presents a Schedule II prescription dated 45 days ago. What should the pharmacist do?
- Fill it, as Schedule II prescriptions are valid for 6 months
- Fill it only with prescriber verbal authorization
- Refuse to fill it, as most states limit Schedule II validity to 30 days (Correct answer)
- Fill half and have the patient return for the remainder
Correct answer: Refuse to fill it, as most states limit Schedule II validity to 30 days
Most states limit Schedule II prescription validity to 30 days from the written date, making a 45-day-old prescription expired and non-dispensable.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a Schedule V controlled substance?
- Oxycodone 10 mg tablets
- Alprazolam (Xanax)
- Cough preparations containing less than 200 mg of codeine per 100 mL (Correct answer)
- Tramadol
Correct answer: Cough preparations containing less than 200 mg of codeine per 100 mL
Schedule V drugs have the lowest abuse potential among controlled substances and include preparations like cough syrups with small amounts of codeine (e.g., Robitussin AC).
PSA Prescription Writing 3
How many refills are permitted for a Schedule II controlled substance prescription in the US?