POST DISCUSSION PRESCRIPTION ANALYSIS

OVERVIEW

Prescription
 from the Latin words; prae – before; and scribe – I write
 an order for medication issued by a physician, dentists, veterinarian or other properly
licensed practitioner

Two Broad legal classification of drugs (As to prescription requirements)

 Non – prescription or Over – the – Counter (OTC) drug
 Prescription or Ethical Drug

PARTS OF PRESCRIPTION
1. Prescriber’s information
2. Patient’s information
3. Date
4. Superscription or Rx symbol, from Latin “recipe”, “you take”
5. Inscription or Medication Prescribed – names of prescribed medications, dosage form,
dose and quantity
6. Subscription or Dispensing direction to the pharmacist
7. Transcription or Signa – direction to the patient
8. Refill, special labelling and/or other instructions
9. Prescriber’s signature

TYPES OF PRESCRIPTION

I. Based on the number of ingredients

a. Simple prescription
 with only one ingredient

b. Compound prescription
 with more than one (1) ingredient but not more than ten (10)

c. Polypharmacal prescription
 with ten (10) or more than ten (10) ingredients of the same therapeutic
use
 Also called shot gun prescription

Magistral Prescription
 A prescription which is prescribed very often by the same doctor, of the same
ingredients and compounded by the same pharmacists

A coded Prescription
  also called blind prescription and consists of words symbols, to represent the
names of the drugs
 unethical practice of same doctors and pharmacists

II. Compounded or Non compounded prescription

Compounded – requires mixing 1 or more ingredient
Non compounded – prepared previously provided by adding solvent (water)

III. New or Refill

New – original prescription order filled or served the first time
Refill – any repeat filling of an original

IV. Generic or Controlled Prescription

Distinct portions of a compound prescription

1. Basis – active ingredient; responsible for the therapeutic action
2. Adjuvant – aids or assist the base
3. Corrective or Corregent – qualifies the action of the base and the adjuvant
4. Vehicle – dilute the active ingredient

FORMS OF PRESCRIPTION ORDER

 Prescription Blanks – most common with prescribers
 Special Prescription – needs S2 license of the physician and form DDB form
 Physician’s Order Sheet or Medication Order – for inpatients’ use

PROCESSING OF PRESCRIPTION ORDER

1. Receiving the prescription
2. Reading and Checking the prescription
3. Numbering and Dating
4. Labelling
5. Preparing the prescription
6. Packaging
7. Rechecking
8. Delivering and Patient Counselling
9. Recording and Filing
10. Pricing the prescription
11. Prescription refilling

READING THE PRESCRIPTION

- In privacy
- If illegible or an error has been made – consult the other pharmacist or the prescriber
- Abbreviations – never guess the meaning of an indistinct word or unrecognized
abbreviation
Common Prescribers Abbreviations

Drug Names Diseases and conditions

 Pb for Phenobarbital CHF – Congestive Heart Failure
 HCTZ for hydrochlorothiazide BPH – Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
 MTX for methotrexate URTI – Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
 ASA for aspirin HBP – High Blood Pressure

Other Abbreviations
ATC – around the clock BM – Bowel Movement WA – While awake

1. CHECKING THE PRESCRIPTION

 Look – Alike and/or Sound-Alike drugs
 Ommissions – Failure to specify the desired strength or its dosage form
 Amount and frequency of a dose
 Incompatibilities
 Medication errors
Look – alike and/or Sound- Alike Drugs

Albuterol Atenolol Imferon Interferon

Chlorpromazine Chlorpropamide Quinidine Clonidine
Digitoxin Digoxin Ritodrine Ranitidine
Diphenhydramine Dimenhydrinate Timolol Tylenol
Dopamine Dobutamine Penicilline Penicillamine
Glipizide Glyburide Xanax Zantac
Isomil Isordil Zovirax Zostrix
Prislosec Prozac Cefoxitin Cefotaxime

Considerations in evaluating the safety of a prescribed dose

 Age of the patient
 Weight and condition of the patient
 Dosage form prescribed
 Possible influence of the other drugs taken
 Frequency of drug administration

Check for incompatibilities with other drugs in the prescription and/or being taken
by the patient (drug – drug interactions; drug – disease interactions)

Check for MEDICATION ERROR:

Medication error
 Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or
patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health professional, patient or
consumer
2. NUMBERING THE PRESCRIPTION
 Legal requirement
 Identify the bottle or package
 For reference in case of refill
 In duplicate or triplicate (in Rx label and record book)

3. DATING THE PRESCRIPTION

 Also a legal requirement
 Import in determining the appropriate refill frequency and patient compliance

4. LABELING THE PRESCRIPTION

1. Neat, attractive and legible
2. Proportional to the size of the container
3. Information legally required on the label: Name and address of the pharmacy; telephone
Number; Prescription number; Prescriber’s name; Patient’s Name; Direction for use;
Date of Dispensing
Name and strength of the medication (frequently included)

5. PREPARING THE PRESCRIPTION

 Prefabricated products
 Solid dosage forms – use counting trays to transfer from stock packages to
prescription container
 Pharmacist should be certain that the products dispensed id a prescribed dosage,
form, strength and number of dosage units

Extemporaneous Prescription Compounding

Pharmacy Compounding
 is defined as the preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging, or labelling of drug or
device as a result of a practitioner’s prescription or drug order.
 Fortify or reduce the strength of an active ingredient in a dermatological preparation
 Reformulate adult dosage forms such as tablets or capsules, into an oral suspension for
pediatric use, or IV admixture

Most serious mistake: dispensing the incorrectly compounded or the wrong drug: follow
systematic approach in compounding;

Considerations in Extemporaneous Prescription Compounding

 STABILITY of the compounded prescription
 Chemical and physical COMPATIBILITY of the ingredients
 The proper ORDER OF MIXING
 Special ADJUVANTS or TECHNIQUES
 MATHEMATICAL CALCULATIONS required
 USP guidelines on stability of extemporaneously compounded prescription
Non- aqueous liquids and solid A beyond use date of not later than 25% of the time
formulations remaining until the products’ expiration date of 6
months, whichever is earlier
Aqueous liquids Not later than 14 days when stored at cold temperature
(reconstituted formulations)
All other formulations Not less than the intended duration of therapy or 30
days, whichever is earlier

USP guidelines on stability of extemporaneously compounded prescription

Repacked non sterile products
Repackaged drugs from multi-
dose to unit – dose package
Not exceeding 25% of the time remaining between the
date of repackaging and the expiration date of the
manufacturer’s bulk container or a 6-month period from
the date the drug is repackaged, whichever is earlier
Maximum beyond use date is 6 months or 25% of the
remaining time between the compounding date and the
shortest expiration date of the ingredients, whichever is
earlier

6. PACKAGING
 Main function of the container: to maintain the quality, safety, and stability of its
contents

Selection of container is based on:

- The type, nature and quantity of medication to be dispensed and
- The mode of administration

Types of Container Generally Used in the Pharmacy

Round vials
•for capsules and tablets

Dropper bottles
• Examples: Opthalmic bottles for eyes and oral liquids to be
administered by drops

Applicator bottles
• for liquid medications to be applied to a wound or to skin surface

Ointment jars and collapsible tubes

•for semi-solid dosage forms like ointments and creams

-Hinged – lid or slide boxes

• used for suppositories and divided poweders prepared in packs

-Nasal containers
• for the nose
 Prescription Bottles
•for capsules and tablets and for liquids of low viscosity

-Wide – mouth bottles

• for bulk powders, large quantitis of tablets of capsules and cannot
be poured easily

-Sifter – top containers

• use for powders to be applied by sprinkling like dusting powders

Prescription Bottles

1. Colorless bottles – for drugs not affected by light

2. Amber colored bottles

 Protect contents from photochemical
degradation (light-resistant)
 Opaque glass, use of outer wrappings or
cartons may also be used for light –
protection of sensitive drugs
 3. Plastic containers – are not used for Vit.A
because of the report that it lost 80% of its
activity during administration

Note: Prescription containers must protect the

contents from air, moisture, light and loss of
drugs and entrance of contaminants.

7. RECHECKING
 Ingredient and amount used must be verified by the pharmacist (other pharmacist, if
available)
 All details in the labels should be rechecked against the prescription order
8. DELIVERING AND PATIENT COUNSELLING
The following information should be provided to the patient:
 Dosage form and its identity
 Indications or expected action
 Contraindication
 Dosage or amount to be used
 Frequency of administration (correct/exact time of administration)
 Duration of treatment
 Expected side effects
 ADR’s
 Drug interactions (drug-drug, drug-food)
 Consequences of non – compliance/compliance
 Proper storage of the medication

Suggested questions to ask the patient when dispensing a new prescription

1. What did the doctor tell you the medication is for?
2. How did your doctor tell you to take this medication?
3. What did the doctor tell you to expect from the medication?

9. RECORDING THE PRESCRIPTION

 All prescription received must be recorded in a prescription book or other books
o Prescription book, Opium Book, Additional Opium Book, Poison book and
Abortive book
 Recorded prescription must be kept and filed for a period of two (2) years
 Prescription book shall be kept for two (2) years after the last entry (Sec. A.O. No.
69 s.1989)

10. PRICING THE PRESCRIPTION

There are different methods used in pricing the prescriptions. The most commonly used method
of pricing the prescription is the following:
 1. Percentage Mark -up
Formula: Dispensing price = Cost of ingredients + ( cost of ingredients X % mark -up)

Example: The unit price of the drug is P 5.00 and the % mark up is 10%. What is the
dispensing price.
Dispensing price = P 5.00 + ( 5.00 x 10/100)
= 5.00 + 0.5
= P 5.50

2. Percentage mark-up + Minimum fee

Minimum fee is usually established to recover the combined cost of the container, label,
overhead expenses and professional services.

Formula: Dispensing price = Cost of ingredients + (cost of ingredients X % mark -up)

minimum fee

Example: The unit price of the drug is P 5.00 and the % mark-up is 40%. The minimum
fee is P 5.00. What is the dispensing price?

Dispensing price = P 5.00 + ( 5.00 x 40/100) + 5.00

= 5.00 + 2 + 5
= P 12.00

3. Professional fee
The true professional fee is independent of the cost of ingredients. They are all the same
in all prescriptions. The greater the cost of ingredients, the greater is the fee.

A pharmacy may determine its professional fee by

1. Averaging the amount of previously charged above the ingredient cost for
prescriptions dispensed over a specified period of time
2. Using of mere exacting cost analysis method in which all costs attribute to the
prescription department divided by the prescription volume. In determining the
actual cost of filling a prescription with the profit and the desired fee, many factors
also have to be considered.

11. REFILLING OF PRESCRIPTION

 Instruction is provided by the prescriber
 For non controlled substances – no limit (may be refilled to 1 yr after the prescription
was written)
 For controlled substances – limited
GENERIC DISPENSING

A.O. No. 63 s. 1989

Rules and regulations to Implement Dispensing Requirements Under the Generics Act of 1988
(R.A. No. 6675)
 Means dispensing the patient’s/buyer’s choice from among generic equivalents
- Finished pharmaceutical products having the same active ingredient(s), same dosage
form and strength as the prescribed drug

Dispensing Products in Unit-dose or not in their original packages

Information that must be placed legibly on the Drug Outlet’s Label include: Name of the
patient; Generic Name of the drug; Brand name, if any: Manufacturer: Dosage
strength; Expiry Date; Directions for use; Name of pharmacist

PARTIAL FILLING OF THE PRESCRIPTION

The following shall be written in the face of the prescription

- Date of partial feeling
- The quantity served and balance of the prescription unserved
- Name and address of the drugstore
 Partial filled prescription must be returned to the buyer after recording the partial filling
in the prescription book
 Drugstore that completes the filling the prescription shall keep it on file

Dispensing of Drugs in List A and List B

 List A (Prohibited and Regulated Drugs)
 List B (Drugs requiring Strict Precautions in their Use)
 Partial filling of Prescription of drugs under A is not allowed
 Pharmacist affixed his/her signature on the prescription filled

LIST A

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY LIST OF DANGEROUS DRUG

PREPARATIONS

(1961 and 1971 UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Pyschotropic Substances,

DDB Regulation No. 3 s. 2003 & *Other DDB Issuances)
(1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances)
DANGEROUS DRUG PREPARATIONS (DDP) — (A1)
1.1. Per DDB Regulation No. 3 s. 2003 - to be prescribed thru DOH Official Rx Form, 1 DDP
per Rx, Partial Filling allowed, No Refill.

BUPRENORPHINE — (Norspan Patch)

CODEINE as poly styrene divinyl benzene sulfonate — (Codipront N Capsule ;
Codipront N Syrup)
* DIAZEPAM — (Ampul : Anxiol, Diazepam, Lorcam, Trankil, Valium, Zopamid)
* EPHEDRINE SULFATE — (Ephedrine Sulfate Ampul)
FENTANYL — (Patch : Durogesic, Durogesic D-Transdermal)
FENTANYL CITRATE — (Ampul : Fentanyl Citrate, Sublimax, Sublimaze, Trofentyl)
HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE — (Jurnista Tablet)
METHYLPHENIDATE — (Tablet : Concerta, Ritalin)
* MIDAZOLAM — (Ampul : Dormicum, Dormizol, Midazolam Hydrochloride, Zedoz)
MORPHINE SULFATE — (Ampul : Morin, Morphine Sulfate ; Tablet : Morphine Sulfate,
MST Continus MR, MXL Prolonged Release, Relimal CR)
OXYCODONE HYDROCHLORIDE — (Oxynorm Capsule ; Oxycontin Prolonged Release
Tablet)
PETHIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE — (Ampul : Deme, Demerol, Pethidine Hydrochloride ;
Vial : Demerol)
PENTOBARBITAL SODIUM — (Euthal Vial)
* PHENOBARBITAL SODIUM — (Luminal Ampul)

1.2 * Per DDB Regulation No. 3 s. 2005 — to be prescribed thru Ordinary Rx (Personalized
Rx) with S2, 1 DDP per Rx, Partial Filling allowed, No Refill.
KETAMINE — (Vial : Ketamax. Ketazol, Ketram, Uniket)

1.3 * Per DDB Regulation No. 3 s. 2005 — to be prescribed thru Ordinary Rx (Personalized
Rx) with S2, 1 DDP per Rx, Partial Filling allowed, No Refill.

PSEUDOEPHEDRINE HYDROCHLORIDE — (Rhinos SR Tablet)

PSEUDOEPHEDRINE SULFATE — (Clarinase Tablet ; Clarinase Syrup)

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

LIST OF DANGEROUS DRUG PREPARATIONS

1.4. * Per DDB Resolution No. 8 s. 2004 — preparations not in injectable form i.e. capsule,
tablet or syrup, to be prescribed thru Ordinary Rx (Personalized RX) with S2, 1 DDP per
Rx, Partial Filling allowed, No Refill.

ALPRAZOLAM — (Tablet : Alprazolam, Altrox, Atrest, Praz, Xanor, Xanor XR)

BROMAZEPAM — (Lexotan Tablet)
CLONAZEPAM — (Tablet : Clonotil, Rivotril)
CHLORAZEPATE DIPOTASSIUM — (Tranxene Capsule)
DIAZEPAM — (Tablet : Diazepam, Nixtensyn, Solina, Valium)
ESTAZOLAM — (Esilgan Tablet)
FLURAZEPAM — (Dalmane Capsulet)
MAZINDOL — (Mazzol Tablet)
MIDAZOLAM — (Dormicum Tablet)
NITRAZEPAM — (Mozepam Tablet)
PHENOBARBITAL SODIUM — (Phenobarbital Tablet)
PHENTERMINE RESIN — (Duromine Capsule)
ZOLPIDEM — (Tablet : Niben, Pidezol, Stilnox, Stilnox MR, Ziohex, Zoldem, Zulnap)

LIST OF DRUG PREPARATIONS CONTAINING ERGOMETRINE / ERGOTAMINE

(1961 and 1971 UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Pyschotropic Substances,
DDB Regulation No. 3 s. 2003 & *Other DDB Issuances)

ERGOTAMINE TARTRATE — (Avamigran Tablet)

METHYLERGOMETRINE MALEATE — (Ampul : Cethergo, Lerin, Methylergometrine
Maleate, Medisyl, Mertgotrex, Methergin, Myometril, Uterine, Utermet; Usamena
Tablet)
PRESCRIPTION LIMITS

Section 32 (6), DDB Regulation No. 3 s. 2003 — The quantities that may be prescribed in a
single
applicable prescription by a licensed practitioner should not exceed the specified quantities as
follows:

For Cancer Patients:

i. Morphine Sulfate (tablets [oral]) = 3,000 mg (ampules / vials) = 448 mg
ii. Fentanyl patch 25 ug/hr = 30 patches 50 ug/hr = 30 patches
Fentanyl ampul 50 ug/mL = 10 ampuls (1 mL) = 03 ampuls (2 mL)
For use in Patient Controlled Analgesic (PCA Machine) = 50 ampuls (2 mL) = 50 ampuls (10
mL)

iii. Oxycodone Hydrochloride =1,200 mg

10 mg 120 tablets
20 mg 60 tablets
40 mg 30 tablets
80 mg 15 tablets

iv. Pethidine Hydrochloride = 14 vials

v. Other Dangerous Drugs (ampuls) = 20 pieces
(tablets) = 40 pieces
(capsules) = 40 pieces
b. Ordinary circumstances:

i. Benzodiazepines = 30 tablets or capsules

(as anxiolytic or hypnotic or both) = 10 ampuls x 1 mL
= 03 ampuls x 2 mL
= 02 ampuls x 3 mL
= 02 ampuls x 5 mL
= 01 ampul x 10 mL
(for muscle spasm/dystonia/tetanus) = 90 tablets (5 mg)
ii. Phenobarbital preparations = 2 weeks supply
(for epilepsy patients) = 2 bottles x 100 tablets

iii. Pethidine Hydrochloride = 03 ampuls

iv. Other Dangerous Drugs (hospital use) = 01 vial

LIST B MEDICINES

List B medicines include immediate release, solid oral dosage forms of multisource
(generic) pharmaceutical products that require in-vivo bioequivalence studies as
proposed
by the World Health Organization (WHO):

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are classified according to the Biopharmaceutics

Classification System (BCS) as follows:

BCS Class I: "high" solubility ‐ "high" permeability

BCS Class II: "low" solubility ‐ "high" permeability
BCS Class III: "high" solubility ‐ "low" permeability
BCS Class IV: "low" solubility ‐ "low" permeability

Pharmaceutical formulations that can be eligible for a biowaiver procedure not requiring in-vivo
bioequivalent studies show the following characteristics:
1. should contain a Class I API
2. should be rapidly dissolving (should release at least 85% of its content in 30 minutes in
media with pH 1.2, pH 4.5 and pH 6.8 at 37° Celsius)
3. should not contain excipients which could influence the absorption of the API.
4. should not contain API with narrow therapeutic index.
5. should not be designed to be absorbed from the oral cavity.

High permeability ensures complete uptake of 85% or more of the API during its passage in the
small intestines.
The WHO noted that in some countries, products may be available at doses exceeding the highest
dose on the WHO Essential Medicines List (EML). In such cases, the WHO tables on biowaivers
may no longer be appropriate and the dose solubility ratio and permeability will have to be
reassessed at the product dose.

List B Medicines in the PNDF vol. 1, 7th edition includes the following:
1. Acetazolamide 250 mg
2. Albendazole 400 mg
3. Artemether 20 mg + lumefantrine 120 mg
4. Artesunate 50 mg
5. Azathioprine sodium 50 mg
6. Azithromycin 500 mg
7. Carbamazepine 200 mg
8. Cefixime 400 mg
9. Ciclosporin 25 mg
10. Clofazimine 100 mg
11. Dapsone 100 mg
12. Diloxanide furoate 500 mg
13. Efavirenz 200 mg
14. Erythromycin stearate and ethylsuccinate 250 mg
15. Etoposide 100 mg
16. Furosemide 40 mg
17. Glibenclamide 5 mg
18. Griseofulvin 250 mg
19. Haloperidol 2 mg
20. Indinavir sulfate 400 mg
21. Ivermectin 6 mg
22. Lopinavir 133.3 mg + ritonavir 33.3 mg
23. Mefloquine hydrochloride 250 mg
24. Mercaptopurine 50 mg
25. Nelfinavir mesilate 250 mg
26. Nevirapine 200 mg
27. Nifedipine 10 mg
28. Nitrofurantoin 100 mg
29. Phenytoin sodium
30. Praziquantel 600 mg
31. Pyrimethamine 25 mg
32. Retinol palmitate 110 mg (200,000 IU)
33. Rifampicin 300 mg and rifampicin FDC with other anti‐TB medicine
34. Ritonavir 100 mg
35. Saquinavir 200 mg
36. Spironolactone 25 mg
37. Sulfadoxine 500 mg + pyrimethamine 25 mg
38. Sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim
400 mg + 80 mg
39 + 160 mg
39. Theophylline anhydrous
40. Verapamil hydrochloride 80 mg

ANALYSIS OF PRESCRIPTION AND MEDICATION ORDERS

Compounding is important and it requires professional skills learned by practice and you should
be able to have knowledge in the following:
Uses
Compatibilities
Incompatibilities
Dosages
Since compounding has been largely replaced by
- Methods of formulation
- Methods of processes
- Industrial Processes

As a Pharmacist, you are required to know how to formulate and understand dosage forms
Dosage Forms
Drugs
 Any substance which, when ingested, elicits a pharmacological response
o Propranolol – decreases blood pressure
o Digoxin – increase myocardial contractility
o Ibuprofen – acts as pain reliever
Dose
 A measured quantity of medicine to be administered either at one time or over a period
of time
o 1 tab 3x a day
o A cap OD
o Inject 30mg SC qd

Route of Administration
 The way the drug is given
o PO
o IV
o IM
o SC

Dosage Range
 Smallest dose which does not cause a toxic effect
o 30mg – 300mg
o 0.5mg – 300mg
o No more than 4000mg daily
o 0.05 – 0.375 mg

In making the final decision in dispensing and compounding of the prescription, numerous
factors must be considered:
 Dosage size
o Peripheral vs. central infusion
o Tablets vs.suspensions

 Route
o Parenteral vs. Oral

 Interval
o Peak and Trough
 o Adjust dose and interval to avoid toxicity

 How long patient will be using?

 Allergies
o Penicillin allergy

 Various dosage forms

o Pills
o Tablets
o Capsules
o Ointments
o Creams
o Powders
o Aerosol

Analyzing Storage Concerns

Designation (Temperature)
 Freezer
 Refrigeration
 Room Temperature

Analyzing the Prescription

 An order for medication for a particular patient produced either in writing or via telephone
by a licensed practitioner
 All phone call orders should be reduced to writing by the pharmacist

The ideal prescription analysis should be done by the clinical pharmacist and then the oncology
pharmacist, and it includes:
 Dose adjustments
Should this patient have their doses adjusted? How are their exams? Is a drug of their
prescription toxic according to his/her condition evaluated by exams and evolution? A
table of a good reference containing dose adjustments for each drug and each possible
condition (such as renal or hepatic impairment, blood count decreased, and others) will
be of importance to this analysis.

 Exams evaluation
Can this patient receive chemotherapy? How are their leukocytes? How are the exam
requirements of the phase in which the patient is in? Are they into these conditions?

 Concentration of the drug

Is the prescribed concentration within the minimum and maximum concentration for this
drug? Did they have restrictions with regard to receiving liquid quantity? Did they have
the necessity of receiving a more concentrated or more diluted solution by a reason such
as renal impairment?
  Compatibility
Are these drugs compatible with the prescribed solutions?

 Physical-chemical stability
Some drugs have few hours of stability and should be handled next to the time of
administration. When each drug will be administrated?

 Drug-interactions
Drug-interaction analysis is not simple and should receive attention with the required time
to confer the prescribed drugs, solutions, material used, and the patient’s diet.

 Support drugs
Does the protocol mention support drugs? Are they prescribed? Does the patient have the
necessity to receive more doses, or a higher dose, of a supportive drug, e.g., more doses
of mesna because the patient always has cystitis? It is necessary to confer if the physician
has not forgotten a drug, such as for nausea, pain, allergy, or others that should be
prescribed.

 Patient’s evolution
Is there new information about the patient?

 Patient follow-up
Was the patient checked by all the necessary teams, such as clinical pharmacy? It is very
important to be sure that the patient has their height and weight measured before
receiving this cycle. Pediatric patients have their weight and height changed quite quickly.
The body surface should be calculated again before each cycle of chemotherapy

Common Errors and Omissions Found in Prescriptions

 Incorrect prescriber on prescription label

 Incorrect patient on prescription label
 Incorrect medication name on prescription label
 Incorrect strength of medication dispensed
 Generic name not on prescription label
 Incorrect directions on prescription label
 Incorrect number of refills authorized
 Incorrect quantity dispensed
 Different medication in dispensed prescription bottle versus
 Stock bottle (eg, tablets do not match)
 Incorrect stock bottle used
 Dispense as written for brand medication on prescription but generic dispensed in
prescription bottle
 Dispense as written for generic medication on prescription but brand dispensed in
prescription bottle
 Expired medication dispensed
 Incorrect date written as compared to prescription hardcopy
Sample Prescription Analysis

Errors in the Prescription:

 Generic name not on
prescription
 There are two drugs
in the prescription
 Teacher’s Insight
Analyzing a prescription is very essential in achieving positive
health outcomes for the patient. A pharmacist must be
equipped with knowledge in order to interpret well the
prescription.
Like any other healthcare providers, pharmacists are
considered important since the medication therapy of the
patient is being managed by the pharmacist. In analyzing the
prescription correctly, it promotes the safe and effective use of
drugs, avoiding potential drug interactions, adverse effects and
complications.