- The practice of placing medication with the earliest expiration date at the front of the shelf to be dispensed first is known as:
Answer: Stock rotation
The correct answer is Stock rotation. This is the process of arranging inventory to ensure that products with the earliest expiration dates are sold or used before those with later dates. This practice, also known as 'First-In, First-Out' (FIFO) or 'First-Expired, First-Out' (FEFO), minimizes waste from expired products.
- A stock bottle of lisinopril has a manufacturer's expiration date printed as 'EXP 07/2026'. The medication can be safely dispensed and used until which date?
Answer: July 31, 2026
The correct answer is July 31, 2026. When only a month and year are provided for an expiration date, the medication is considered to be fully potent and effective through the last day of the specified month.
- A medication's expiration date is determined by the manufacturer based on which type of studies?
Answer: Stability
The correct answer is Stability. Manufacturers conduct extensive stability testing under specific conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, light) to determine the time frame during which a drug product is expected to remain within approved specifications for identity, strength, quality, and purity. This testing establishes the expiration date.
- A technician reconstitutes a powder for an amoxicillin oral suspension on April 10. The manufacturer's instructions state that the reconstituted suspension must be kept refrigerated and is stable for 14 days. What beyond-use date (BUD) should be placed on the prescription label?
Answer: April 24
The correct answer is April 24. The beyond-use date (BUD) is calculated from the date of reconstitution. The suspension is stable for 14 days, so the BUD is April 10 + 14 days = April 24. After this date, the medication should be discarded.
- According to USP guidelines, what is the maximum beyond-use date for a non-aqueous compounded formulation, such as a magic mouthwash made with only powder ingredients in a glycerin vehicle?
Answer: 6 months
The correct answer is 6 months. According to USP Chapter <795>, the BUD for a non-aqueous formulation (one that does not contain water) is no later than 6 months or the earliest expiration date of any active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), whichever is shorter.
- What is the appropriate beyond-use date to assign to the repackaged unit-dose medications?
Answer: March 5, 2025
The correct answer is March 5, 2025. Per USP guidelines, the beyond-use date for repackaged solid oral dosage forms is either 1 year from the date of repackaging or the manufacturer's expiration date, whichever is earlier. In this case, 1 year from repackaging (March 5, 2025) is earlier than the manufacturer's expiration date (January 31, 2026).
- A pharmacy technician is checking in an order. A stock bottle has 'EXP 1125' printed on the label. What is the correct interpretation of this expiration date?
Answer: November 30, 2025
The correct answer is November 30, 2025. The format 'MMYY' is a common way to print expiration dates. '11' represents November and '25' represents the year 2025. As with other standard expiration dates, this indicates the product is good through the last day of that month.
- A multi-dose vial of a sterile medication is entered with a needle for the first time. Which date is most critical for determining the new beyond-use date according to USP <797> guidelines?
Answer: The date the vial was first punctured.
The correct answer is the date the vial was first punctured. For multi-dose vials, once the rubber stopper is punctured, the sterility can be compromised. USP guidelines state that the BUD is typically 28 days from the date of first puncture, unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise. This date is used to calculate the new BUD, which must not exceed the original expiration date.
- A patient returns a sealed, unopened prescription bottle that was dispensed 2 weeks ago. The pharmacy policy allows it to be returned to stock (RTS). The manufacturer's original expiration date is in 3 years. What is the most appropriate expiration date to assign to the RTS bottle?
Answer: One year from the original dispensing date or the manufacturer's date, whichever is sooner.
The correct answer is one year from the original dispensing date or the manufacturer's date, whichever is sooner. Standard pharmacy practice for return-to-stock items is to assign a beyond-use date of one year from the original dispensing date or the manufacturer's expiration date, whichever comes first. This conservative approach accounts for potential storage condition variations while the product was outside pharmacy control.
- A patient opens a new multi-dose vial of insulin glargine on June 20th. The vial will be stored at room temperature. The manufacturer's original expiration date on the vial is December 2025. The patient should be advised to discard the vial no later than which date?
Answer: July 18th
The correct answer is July 18th. Most insulin vials, including insulin glargine, are stable for 28 days after the first use when stored at room temperature. The BUD is calculated as June 20 + 28 days = July 18. The manufacturer's expiration date applies only to unopened, properly stored vials.
- Which of the following medications should the technician remove from the shelves?
Answer: Amlodipine EXP 08/2024
The correct answer is Amlodipine EXP 08/2024. Since the inspection is on September 1, 2024, any medication with an expiration month of August 2024 or earlier is expired. The medication expired at the end of the day on August 31, 2024. The other options have expiration dates in the future.
- A prescription for latanoprost eye drops is dispensed to a patient. What is a common and critical counseling point a pharmacist would provide regarding the bottle's expiration after it is opened?
Answer: Discard the bottle 42 days (6 weeks) after opening, regardless of the printed date.
The correct answer is to discard the bottle 42 days (6 weeks) after opening. Many ophthalmic solutions, including latanoprost, have a limited in-use stability to ensure sterility and potency. The manufacturer specifies this beyond-use date, which is much shorter than the original expiration date of the unopened product.
- A technician reconstitutes a vial of ceftriaxone for injection at 09:00 on Tuesday. The package insert states the reconstituted solution is stable for 24 hours at room temperature. What is the correct beyond-use date and time that should be labeled on the vial?
Answer: 09:00 on Wednesday
The correct answer is 09:00 on Wednesday. The beyond-use date is 24 hours after reconstitution. Therefore, if it is prepared at 09:00 on Tuesday, it will expire at 09:00 on Wednesday. Both the date and time are critical for short-stability medications.
- Which of the following must be documented when repackaging non-sterile medications into unit-of-use packaging?
Answer: The calculated beyond-use date.
The correct answer is the calculated beyond-use date. Repackaging logs must include essential information for traceability and safety, including the drug name, strength, dosage form, manufacturer, lot number, the original expiration date, the date of repackaging, and the newly assigned beyond-use date (BUD).
- Improper storage of a medication, such as leaving a refrigerated product at room temperature, will most likely:
Answer: shorten the medication's stability and effective life.
The correct answer is to shorten the medication's stability and effective life. Expiration dates are based on storage under specific, recommended conditions. Deviating from these conditions, such as exposure to excessive heat, light, or moisture, can accelerate the degradation of the active ingredients, making the medication less effective or potentially harmful well before its printed expiration date.
- According to USP <795>, what is the maximum beyond-use date for a water-containing oral formulation, such as a compounded suspension, when stored at a controlled cold temperature?
Answer: 14 days
The correct answer is 14 days. For water-containing oral formulations prepared from ingredients in solid form, USP Chapter <795> specifies a beyond-use date of not later than 14 days when stored at controlled cold temperatures (refrigerated).
- What is the correct final beyond-use date and time that should be placed on the label of the compounded IV bag?
Answer: October 6 at 13:00
The correct answer is October 6 at 13:00. For compounded sterile products, the beyond-use date is determined by the stability and sterility of the final preparation, which is typically much shorter than the expiration dates of the individual components. The most restrictive date applies. In this case, the 24-hour BUD from the time of compounding is the most restrictive and must be used.
- According to USP <795>, what is the maximum beyond-use date for a water-containing topical formulation, such as a cream or lotion?
Answer: 30 days
The correct answer is 30 days. For water-containing topical/dermal and mucosal liquid and semisolid formulations, USP Chapter <795> recommends a beyond-use date of not later than 30 days. This shorter timeframe compared to non-aqueous formulations is due to the higher potential for microbial growth in the presence of water.
- A technician is preparing to dispense a prescription for a 90-day supply of rosuvastatin. The stock bottle on the shelf has an expiration date of 2 months from today's date. What is the most appropriate action for the technician?
Answer: Locate a different stock bottle with a longer expiration date.
The correct answer is to locate a different stock bottle with a longer expiration date. A pharmacy should not dispense a quantity of medication that will expire before the patient is expected to finish it. Dispensing a 90-day supply from a bottle that expires in 2 months is unsafe and improper practice.
- A vaccine is stored frozen. The manufacturer's expiration date is 11/30/2025. The package insert states that once thawed, the vaccine is stable for 30 days in the refrigerator. If the vaccine is thawed on 11/15/2025, what is its new expiration date?
Answer: 11/30/2025
The correct answer is 11/30/2025. A medication's beyond-use date can never exceed the original manufacturer's expiration date. Although the vaccine is stable for 30 days after thawing (which would be 12/15/2025), it must be discarded by the manufacturer's expiration date of 11/30/2025, because that date comes first.
