Rhode Island Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence (MPJE) Practice Exam

If a brand-name drug is dispensed without the proper annotation on the prescription, it is viewed as?

1. Expired

2. Misbranded

3. Approved

4. Adulterated

The correct answer is: Misbranded

When a brand-name drug is dispensed without the proper annotation on the prescription, it is classified as misbranded. Misbranding refers to labeling or packaging that does not meet established regulatory standards set forth by entities like the FDA or state pharmacy boards. Proper annotation is critical because it ensures that the prescription accurately reflects the medication being dispensed, including its brand-name versus generic status. If this information is lacking, it can create confusion, mislead patients, and ultimately undermine patient safety, which fits the definition of misbranding. Other classifications like expired, approved, and adulterated have distinct meanings. For instance, an expired drug refers to a medication that is beyond its expiration date and should not be used. Approved indicates that a product has undergone regulatory review and met safety and efficacy standards, which doesn’t apply in this context. Adulteration refers to the quality of a drug being compromised, typically through contamination or degradation; again, this is not relevant when discussing proper documentation in dispensing. Thus, misbranding is the appropriate classification in this scenario.