According tofederal law(Controlled Substances Act, CSA) andDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations, a prescription for aSchedule III or IV controlled substancemay be refilleda maximum of five (5) times within six (6) monthsfrom the date the prescription was written.
* Refill Limit:A Schedule IV prescription may be refilled up to five (5) times within six (6) months from the issue date, if authorized by the prescriber.
* Expiration:The prescription expiressix (6) monthsafter the date it was written.
* Recordkeeping:The pharmacy must maintain accurate refill records either electronically or manually.
* Additional Refills Beyond 5:If the patient needs refills after the 5-refill limit, anew prescriptionmust be issued by the prescriber.
* Partial Fills:Partial dispensing is allowed, but the total quantity dispensed cannot exceed the originally prescribed amount.
* A. 2 times in 3 months.# Incorrect. Federal law allows more than 2 refills for Schedule IV drugs.
* B. 3 times in 4 months.# Incorrect. This underestimates the legal refill limit.
* C. 4 times in 6 months.# Incorrect. Schedule IV drugs may be refilledup to 5 times, not just 4, within
6 months.
* DEA Pharmacist's Manual - Controlled Substances Act (21 CFR 1306.22).
* PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline - Federal Pharmacy Law and Controlled Substances.
* FDA and DEA Guidelines on Schedule III-V Prescription Refills.
* Mosby's Pharmacy Technician: Principles and Practice - Controlled Substances Regulations.
Key DEA Rules for Schedule III and IV Prescriptions:Why the Other Answer Choices Are Incorrect:
Pharmacy Technician References: