Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling

Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

CASE STUDIES

Question 1
Mrs ABC is a well-known patient of yours who regularly collects her medication from
your pharmacy. She has come to fill her prescription, which has been indicated for
repeat. The following medication appears on her prescription:

• [S3] Voltaren 25mg (2 three times a day) x 90

On closer inspection you notice that Mrs ABC’s prescription has expired. Explain to
Mrs ABC how you can assist her to fill her prescription referring to the scheduling of
medicines and the validity of prescriptions.

Question 2
Mrs Lady has just seen the Doctor and received a prescription to help aid in the
treatment of symptoms she is experiencing as a result of menopause. The Doctor
has prescribed the following;

• Premarin 0,625mg (1 daily) x30

You have prepared the medication for Mrs Lady and given her a sealed box of 28
tablets. Later, your Pharmacist Assistant approaches you to ask you why you did not
give Mrs Lady the quantity specified on the prescription. Explain to your Assistant
why you can give 28 tablets instead of 30, as indicated on the prescription.

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Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling
Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

Question 3
Mr Eina is suffering from a flare up of gout. He has requested that you issue him with
Colchicine 0,5mg (6 hourly) and Panamor 25mg (three times a day) for five days.

Can you legally dispense these items to Mr Eina without a prescription? Explain.
(hint: use the SAMF to determine the scheduling status of these medicines when
indicated for gout).

Question 4
Ms Boss, your store manager, has decided to procure Nicorette products for the
front shop. She would like to procure the following items;
• Nicorette Gum and Lozenges
• Nicorette Patches
• Nicorette Spray
• Nicorette Tablets

Advise Ms Boss of the legalities associated with procuring, storage and sale of these
items.

Question 5
Mrs Angry has just walked into your pharmacy (situated inside of a large grocery
store chain) demanding to speak with a pharmacist. Mrs Angry is so upset because
she came into the store last night to buy a Venteeze pump for her son, but the
pharmacy was already closed. She demands to know why this item has to be kept in
the pharmacy and cannot be made available to the public on the shelf next to the
Panado.
Counsel Mrs Angry on the legalities surrounding the Venteeze pump which is a
Schedule 2. Emphasize why this item is scheduled as such.

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Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling
Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

Question 6
Comment on the following prescription;

Question 7
Mrs Flu enters the pharmacy and approaches Ms Assistant at the OTC medicines
counter. Mrs Flu has heard that Sinucon is the best product to treat a runny nose
and would like to purchase a box to treat her husbands runny nose. Upon hearing
that a single box of Sinucon contains only 20 tablets, she asks to purchase 2 boxes.

Comment on this interaction.

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Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling
Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

Question 8
Mrs Gums has just gone to see the dentist and had a root canal procedure
performed on one of her teeth. Mrs Gums expresses to you that she is in a lot of
pain but is relieved that the dentist has written her a prescription. This is what the
dentist has prescribed;
• Inza (Ibuprofen) 200mg (2 three times a day for pain) x 30
• Panado (Paracetamol) 500mg (2 three times a day for pain and fever) x 30

Mrs Gums explains that the dentist wrote a second prescription for her because she
seems to be coming down with a bit of a cold. This is the second prescription;
• Augmentin SR 1g (one twice a day) x 10

Comment on the legalities of these prescriptions. Indicate how much of each item
you will dispense from each prescription.

Question 9
In July 2020, Mrs ABC, a patient of yours who regularly collects her medication from
your pharmacy, has come to fill her prescription. The prescription, which has been
indicated for repeat, contains the following items;
• [S3] Voltaren 25mg (2 three times a day) x 90
• [S3] Epilim 500mg (1 twice a day) x 60
• [S0] Folic Acid (1 daily) x 30
On closer inspection you notice that Mrs ABC’s prescription had expired in May. Mr
XYZ, the owner of the pharmacy, dispensed Mrs ABC’s medication to her for a month
in June.
a. Explain to Mrs ABC why you cannot fill her prescription.
Mrs ABC gets angry as she cannot understand why if the script expired in May she
received medication last month from Mr XYZ.
b. Explain to Mrs ABC why Mr XYZ dispensed her medication after the script
had expired.

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Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling
Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

Question 10
Nurofen Plus contains Ibuprofen 200mg and Codeine 12.8mg. Mrs Painful has come
into your pharmacy to purchase Nurofen Plus. Ms Assistant at the OTC counter says
to Mrs Painful that it is a prescription product and that she will have to consult with
her doctor. Mrs Painful demands to speak to a pharmacist as she has always bought
Nurofen Plus at the OTC counter.

Explain to Mrs Painful why she can no longer access Nurofen Plus without a
prescription.

Question 11
You have just started the nightshift at a hospital pharmacy when you are approached
by a paramedic who wishes to restock his ambulance. He hands you a list of
medicines he requires as well as his qualifications. This is the list of medicines he
requires;
• Adenosine IV
• Atropine IV
• Glyceryl Trinitrate tabs
• Warfarin tabs
His qualification card stipulates that he has a National Diploma in Emergency
Medical Care.

Will you dispense these items to this paramedic? Explain.

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Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling
Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

SHORT QUESTIONS

Question 1
May a Schedule 6 item be dispensed to a patient in an emergency without a
prescription? Explain.

Question 2
Why are medicines scheduled?

Question 3
At what stage of the development process is the scheduling of a medicines
determined?

Question 4
Who determines the schedule of a medicine?

Question 5
What are the factors considered when deciding on the schedule of a medicine?

Question 6
Describe the scheduling framework.

Question 7
Who may have access to and the right to sell scheduled medication?

Question 8
Describe the process of dispensing of the item Tramadol (Specified Schedule 5) to a
patient on a written prescription.

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Stephanie Leigh Tutorial: Scheduling
Pharmaceutical Practice 2020

Question 9
Calculate the maximum number of Adco-Dol tablets that may be given without a
prescription.
[Adco-Dol = Codeine 10mg + Paracetamol 450mg + Doxylamine 5mg]
[Max dose of codeine is 8 doses/day for max 5 days]

Question 10
Calculate the maximum volume of Broncleer with Codeine syrup that may be
dispensed without a prescription.
[Broncleer with Codeine 10mg + Diphenhydramine 12,5mg per 5ml]
[Maximum daily dose not exceeding 80 milligrams for max 5 days]