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) monthsfrom 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:
Submit