A person comes to your pharmacy to drop off a prescription for a beneficiary who is a regular customer. The prescription is for a controlled substance with a quantity of 160, higher than the usual 60. You review the prescription and have concerns about possible forgery. What is your next step?

A person comes to your pharmacy to drop off a prescription for a beneficiary who is a regular customer. The prescription is for a controlled substance with a quantity of 160, higher than the usual 60. You review the prescription and have concerns about possible forgery. What is your next step?

• A. Fill as written and monitor
• B. Notify law enforcement after processing
• C. Call the prescriber to verify the quantity
• D. Deny the prescription

Answer: (C)

Verifying a questionable controlled-substance prescription by contacting the prescriber is the best next step. When you see an unusually large quantity, it’s a red flag for forgery or misuse, and dispensing without confirmation can expose the patient to harm and place you at legal risk. Reaching out to the prescriber to confirm the intended quantity directly addresses the concern, ensures the prescription is legitimate, and aligns with standard professional and regulatory practices. If the prescriber confirms the quantity, you can proceed safely; if not, you should follow your shop’s policy for handling suspected forged prescriptions, which may involve not dispensing and escalating as needed. Filling as written without verification risks distributing a potentially fraudulent prescription, and notifying law enforcement after processing or denying outright without attempt at verification does not resolve the underlying concern or protect safety.

Verifying a questionable controlled-substance prescription by contacting the prescriber is the best next step. When you see an unusually large quantity, it’s a red flag for forgery or misuse, and dispensing without confirmation can expose the patient to harm and place you at legal risk. Reaching out to the prescriber to confirm the intended quantity directly addresses the concern, ensures the prescription is legitimate, and aligns with standard professional and regulatory practices. If the prescriber confirms the quantity, you can proceed safely; if not, you should follow your shop’s policy for handling suspected forged prescriptions, which may involve not dispensing and escalating as needed. Filling as written without verification risks distributing a potentially fraudulent prescription, and notifying law enforcement after processing or denying outright without attempt at verification does not resolve the underlying concern or protect safety.