What must pharmacy technicians verify before dispensing a medication?

• A. Patient's insurance information
• B. Prescriber information and validity of the prescription
• C. Pharmacy stock levels
• D. Medication dosage instructions

Answer: (B)

Verifying the prescriber information and the validity of the prescription is a crucial responsibility for pharmacy technicians before dispensing medication. This step ensures that the prescription was written by a licensed healthcare professional and that it adheres to legal and regulatory standards. Validating the prescriber’s credentials helps prevent potential issues such as fraud or errors in the medication prescribed.

Ensuring the prescription is valid also involves checking for necessary elements such as the patient's details, medication name, dosage, quantity, and appropriate authorization. This verification process minimizes the risk of dispensing errors, enhances patient safety, and ensures that the pharmacy is operating within the bounds of the law.

While confirming the patient's insurance information, checking pharmacy stock levels, and reviewing medication dosage instructions are also important aspects of pharmacy practice, they do not take precedence over ensuring the legitimacy and correctness of the prescription itself. Without a valid prescription, any further steps in the dispensing process would be inappropriate and potentially harmful.