PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (PTCE)Federal RequirementsHard
A patient calls the pharmacy requesting a refill for their prescription of Lyrica (pregabalin), a Schedule V controlled substance. The patient states they have already received 6 refills within the past 5 months and their prescription was originally written 7 months ago. Based on federal regulations, what should the technician advise the patient?
- AThe patient can receive one more refill, as long as it's within 6 months of the original fill date.
- BThe prescription has expired, and no more refills are allowed.
- CThe prescription is valid for 1 year and can have unlimited refills, so it can be refilled.
- DThe patient needs a new prescription because they have exceeded the 5-refill limit.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. The prescription has expired, and no more refills are allowed.
Schedule V controlled substance prescriptions are valid for 6 months from the date of issue and can have a maximum of 5 refills within that 6-month period. Since the prescription was written 7 months ago, it has expired, regardless of the number of refills already dispensed.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect. The 6-month validity period has already passed, so no more refills are allowed.
- C. Incorrect; Schedule V prescriptions are not valid for 1 year and do not have unlimited refills.
- D. While the 5-refill limit is a factor, the primary reason for denial here is the expiration of the prescription due to time (7 months vs. 6-month validity).
CIII-V Expiration Rules
Federal law dictates that prescriptions for Schedule III, IV, and V controlled substances expire 6 months after the date of issue, regardless of the number of refills remaining.
- 6-month validity for CIII-V.
- Maximum 5 refills within that 6-month period.
- Whichever comes first (6 months or 5 refills) causes expiration.
- New prescription required after expiration.
Memory trick: Six months Or Five refills, whichever comes first, the prescription dies.