PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (PTCE)Federal RequirementsMedium
A pharmacy technician is reviewing a prescription for a Schedule III controlled substance that was written 6 months ago. The prescription indicates 5 refills. According to federal regulations, how many of these refills are still valid?
- A5 refills
- B0 refills
- C2 refills
- D3 refills
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 0 refills
Federal regulations dictate that Schedule III and IV controlled substance prescriptions are valid for 6 months from the date they were written, and refills cannot be dispensed after this period.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This option is incorrect because no refills are valid after 6 months from the date of issue.
- C. This option is incorrect because the prescription has expired for all refills.
- D. This option is incorrect as the validity period for the prescription has passed.
CIII-CIV Prescription Validity
Prescriptions for Schedule III and IV controlled substances are valid for 6 months from the date they were written, and patients may receive a maximum of 5 refills within this 6-month period.
- Valid for 6 months from date of issue.
- Maximum of 5 refills allowed.
- No refills can be dispensed after 6 months.
Memory trick: Six Months Max: C-III/IV refills expire, no more than five.