Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Practice Exam

Which of the following indicates a prescription is written for a too high quantity or dose?

1. The prescription is handwritten

2. The prescription is potentially forged

3. The directions contain abbreviations

4. The prescription is for a regular patient

The correct answer is: The prescription is potentially forged

A prescription that is potentially forged could indicate that it has a higher than usual quantity or dose written on it. Forgeries often display unusual patterns, such as excessive amounts of medication, which may suggest intent to misuse or sell the medication rather than for legitimate therapeutic use. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are trained to be vigilant about red flags that may indicate a prescription is not genuine, and an unusually high quantity can be one of the strongest indicators along with other factors. The other options present scenarios that do not inherently suggest an inappropriate quantity or dosage of medication. For instance, a handwritten prescription is a common and acceptable method of issuing prescriptions and does not necessarily indicate anything about the quantity. Similarly, the use of abbreviations for directions is standard practice in many prescriptions and does not relate to the dose itself. Lastly, a prescription for a regular patient may very well be for an appropriate dose, as established by their ongoing treatment plan, so this does not raise concerns about the dose being too high.