Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Practice Exam

What is a rule regarding the transfer of a prescription for oxycodone tablets?

1. The pharmacist must obtain the DEA number of the pharmacy upon transferring the prescription

2. The prescription can only be transferred one time due to oxycodone being a controlled medication

3. The prescription cannot be transferred since oxycodone is a schedule II controlled substance

4. The prescription can be transferred unlimited times within the same chain until it expires

The correct answer is: The prescription cannot be transferred since oxycodone is a schedule II controlled substance

Oxycodone is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, which comes with strict regulations regarding its handling, including the transfer of prescriptions. Under federal law, Schedule II medications cannot be transferred between pharmacies. This means that if a patient has a prescription for oxycodone, that prescription is specifically meant for that pharmacy and cannot be transferred to another pharmacy, regardless of circumstances. The rationale behind this regulation is to prevent potential abuse and diversion of highly addictive opioids. By limiting prescriptions for these drugs to the original pharmacy, it reduces the likelihood of patients obtaining multiple prescriptions from different pharmacies, which can lead to misuse. In contrast, other controlled substances (such as those in Schedule III or IV) may have different rules regarding transferability. The limitations placed on Schedule II substances emphasize the importance of careful monitoring and regulation in the context of public health and safety.