MPJE 2026 Practice Exam – Pharmacy Law Questions with Answers
& Detailed Rationales, Federal and State Pharmacy Regulations,
Pharmacist Responsibilities, Prescription Requirements, Controlled
Substances, Patient Privacy & Professional Compliance
Question 1
A pharmacist is reviewing a prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance that was
transmitted electronically. The prescriber's DEA registration expires in three days. The
pharmacist verifies the prescription is otherwise valid. What is the most appropriate action?
A. Dispense the prescription since the prescriber's DEA registration was valid at the time of
issuance.
B. Refuse to dispense and contact the prescriber to obtain a new prescription after renewal.
C. Dispense the prescription but document the DEA expiration in the patient record.
D. Contact the DEA to verify the prescriber's renewal status before dispensing.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: DEA registration validity is determined at the time of prescribing, not
dispensing. A prescription issued while the prescriber held valid registration remains valid
even if registration subsequently expires.
Question 2
A pharmacy technician receives a telephone call from a patient requesting a refill on a
Schedule IV controlled substance. The prescription has no refills remaining. The technician's
supervisor is at lunch. According to federal law, what is the technician permitted to do?
A. Authorize one emergency refill and document the circumstances.
,B. Take a verbal order from the prescriber for a new prescription.
C. Inform the patient that the prescriber must be contacted for a new prescription.
D. Transfer the prescription to another pharmacy for the patient's convenience.
Explanation: Pharmacy technicians cannot authorize refills or accept verbal orders for
controlled substances. Only the prescriber can authorize additional refills, and the
pharmacist must handle any prescriber communication.
Correct Answer: C
Question 3
A pharmacist is asked to counsel a patient on a new prescription for warfarin. The patient
declines counseling, stating they have taken the medication before. According to OBRA-90
requirements, what is the pharmacist's obligation?
A. Document that counseling was offered and refused, then dispense the medication.
B. Require counseling since warfarin is a high-risk medication.
C. Dispense the medication without documentation since the patient refused.
D. Contact the prescriber to report the patient's refusal to receive counseling.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: OBRA-90 requires pharmacists to offer counseling, not to force it. When a
patient refuses, the offer and refusal must be documented to demonstrate compliance.
Question 4
,A pharmacy intern is working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. A
patient presents a prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance. Which task can the
intern perform?
A. Provide the final verification of the filled prescription.
B. Counsel the patient on the medication's side effects.
C. Authorize a partial fill at the patient's request.
D. Transfer the prescription to another pharmacy location.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Interns may counsel patients under pharmacist supervision. Final verification,
partial fill authorization, and prescription transfers require a licensed pharmacist's judgment.
Question 5
A pharmacist discovers that a compounded medication was prepared using an ingredient
from a lot that was recalled two days ago. The medication was dispensed to 12 patients.
What is the pharmacist's priority action?
A. Document the incident and wait for the FDA to issue formal guidance.
B. Notify patients, quarantine remaining stock, and report to appropriate authorities.
C. Replace the affected medication only if patients return with adverse effects.
D. Contact the ingredient supplier to determine if the recall applies to this lot.
Explanation: Patient safety requires immediate action: notify affected patients, quarantine
remaining product, and report the incident to the FDA and state board as required.
Question 6
, A patient asks a pharmacist why their generic medication looks different from the brand they
previously received. The pharmacist explains that the generic is therapeutically equivalent.
Which federal designation supports this statement?
A. The medication has an "A" rating in the Orange Book.
B. The medication has a "B" rating in the Orange Book.
C. The medication is listed as "not therapeutically equivalent."
D. The medication has a therapeutic equivalence code beginning with "BX."
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: An "A" therapeutic equivalence rating in the FDA Orange Book indicates
products are therapeutically equivalent and can be substituted with confidence.
Question 7
A pharmacy receives a shipment of a medication that appears to have a different color on
the tablet than previous shipments from the same manufacturer. The lot number is verified
as legitimate. What should the pharmacist do?
A. Dispense the medication since the lot number is verified.
B. Quarantine the shipment and contact the manufacturer to verify the appearance change.
C. Return the shipment and reorder from a different supplier.
D. Report the discrepancy to the FDA MedWatch program immediately.
Explanation: Appearance changes, even with legitimate lot numbers, warrant verification
with the manufacturer. The product should be quarantined until confirmed as authentic and
appropriate.
Question 8
& Detailed Rationales, Federal and State Pharmacy Regulations,
Pharmacist Responsibilities, Prescription Requirements, Controlled
Substances, Patient Privacy & Professional Compliance
Question 1
A pharmacist is reviewing a prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance that was
transmitted electronically. The prescriber's DEA registration expires in three days. The
pharmacist verifies the prescription is otherwise valid. What is the most appropriate action?
A. Dispense the prescription since the prescriber's DEA registration was valid at the time of
issuance.
B. Refuse to dispense and contact the prescriber to obtain a new prescription after renewal.
C. Dispense the prescription but document the DEA expiration in the patient record.
D. Contact the DEA to verify the prescriber's renewal status before dispensing.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: DEA registration validity is determined at the time of prescribing, not
dispensing. A prescription issued while the prescriber held valid registration remains valid
even if registration subsequently expires.
Question 2
A pharmacy technician receives a telephone call from a patient requesting a refill on a
Schedule IV controlled substance. The prescription has no refills remaining. The technician's
supervisor is at lunch. According to federal law, what is the technician permitted to do?
A. Authorize one emergency refill and document the circumstances.
,B. Take a verbal order from the prescriber for a new prescription.
C. Inform the patient that the prescriber must be contacted for a new prescription.
D. Transfer the prescription to another pharmacy for the patient's convenience.
Explanation: Pharmacy technicians cannot authorize refills or accept verbal orders for
controlled substances. Only the prescriber can authorize additional refills, and the
pharmacist must handle any prescriber communication.
Correct Answer: C
Question 3
A pharmacist is asked to counsel a patient on a new prescription for warfarin. The patient
declines counseling, stating they have taken the medication before. According to OBRA-90
requirements, what is the pharmacist's obligation?
A. Document that counseling was offered and refused, then dispense the medication.
B. Require counseling since warfarin is a high-risk medication.
C. Dispense the medication without documentation since the patient refused.
D. Contact the prescriber to report the patient's refusal to receive counseling.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: OBRA-90 requires pharmacists to offer counseling, not to force it. When a
patient refuses, the offer and refusal must be documented to demonstrate compliance.
Question 4
,A pharmacy intern is working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. A
patient presents a prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance. Which task can the
intern perform?
A. Provide the final verification of the filled prescription.
B. Counsel the patient on the medication's side effects.
C. Authorize a partial fill at the patient's request.
D. Transfer the prescription to another pharmacy location.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Interns may counsel patients under pharmacist supervision. Final verification,
partial fill authorization, and prescription transfers require a licensed pharmacist's judgment.
Question 5
A pharmacist discovers that a compounded medication was prepared using an ingredient
from a lot that was recalled two days ago. The medication was dispensed to 12 patients.
What is the pharmacist's priority action?
A. Document the incident and wait for the FDA to issue formal guidance.
B. Notify patients, quarantine remaining stock, and report to appropriate authorities.
C. Replace the affected medication only if patients return with adverse effects.
D. Contact the ingredient supplier to determine if the recall applies to this lot.
Explanation: Patient safety requires immediate action: notify affected patients, quarantine
remaining product, and report the incident to the FDA and state board as required.
Question 6
, A patient asks a pharmacist why their generic medication looks different from the brand they
previously received. The pharmacist explains that the generic is therapeutically equivalent.
Which federal designation supports this statement?
A. The medication has an "A" rating in the Orange Book.
B. The medication has a "B" rating in the Orange Book.
C. The medication is listed as "not therapeutically equivalent."
D. The medication has a therapeutic equivalence code beginning with "BX."
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: An "A" therapeutic equivalence rating in the FDA Orange Book indicates
products are therapeutically equivalent and can be substituted with confidence.
Question 7
A pharmacy receives a shipment of a medication that appears to have a different color on
the tablet than previous shipments from the same manufacturer. The lot number is verified
as legitimate. What should the pharmacist do?
A. Dispense the medication since the lot number is verified.
B. Quarantine the shipment and contact the manufacturer to verify the appearance change.
C. Return the shipment and reorder from a different supplier.
D. Report the discrepancy to the FDA MedWatch program immediately.
Explanation: Appearance changes, even with legitimate lot numbers, warrant verification
with the manufacturer. The product should be quarantined until confirmed as authentic and
appropriate.
Question 8
