PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (PTCE)Federal RequirementsHard
A pharmacy technician receives a prescription for clobazam, a Schedule IV controlled substance. The patient is requesting a transfer to another pharmacy. According to federal regulations, how many times can a prescription for clobazam be transferred between pharmacies?
- AOne time
- BAs many times as there are refills remaining
- CUnlimited times within the validity period
- DZero times
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. One time
Federal law dictates that prescriptions for Schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances may be transferred only one time between pharmacies for refill purposes. If pharmacies share a common electronic database, they may transfer up to the maximum number of refills permitted by law and the prescriber.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. This is only true if the pharmacies share a common electronic database. Without that specific condition, the general rule is one transfer.
- C. Incorrect; there are strict limits on controlled substance transfers.
- D. Incorrect; CIII-V prescriptions can be transferred, unlike C-IIs.
CIII-V Prescription Transfers
Federal law allows prescriptions for Schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances to be transferred once between pharmacies, unless they share a common electronic database, in which case they can be transferred up to the number of refills authorized.
- C-IIs cannot be transferred.
- CIII-V can be transferred once to another pharmacy.
- If pharmacies share a common electronic database, multiple transfers are allowed up to the number of refills.
- Transfer must be communicated directly between pharmacists.
Memory trick: C3-5: One transfer, unless you're a Twin (common database).