A final check must always be completed and documented by the community licensed pharmacy from which the patient receives the drug and is provided care.
Pharmacy practice consultants (PPCs) sometimes receive questions from regulated members about the requirement of completing and documenting a final check prior to dispensing compounded and repackaged medications (e.g., compounded preparations, blister packs/compliance packs, or vials).
In addition, PPCs have observed community pharmacy teams receiving blister packs and vials from compounding and repackaging licensed pharmacies and placing the medications directly in the pick-up bin without completing their own final check.
A separate final check must always be completed by the community licensed pharmacy prior to dispensing the compounded or repackaged medication to the patient.
Standard 8.5 of the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (SPPPT) require that each time a regulated member dispenses a drug, the regulated member must perform a final check in order to ensure that each step in the dispensing process has been completed properly by verifying that
- the drug name, drug dosage form, strength, manufacturer, and quantity dispensed are correct according to the prescription;
- the prescription label is accurate and complete according to the prescription and contains the required information;
- appropriate auxiliary instruction labels are affixed.
Pharmacy teams in a compounding and repackaging licensed pharmacy must perform a final check as per Standard 8.12 of the SPPPT and ensure there is sufficient documentation to provide a clear audit trail for the compounded and repackaged medication prior to distribution to the community licensed pharmacy. However, the final check by the compounding and repackaging licensed pharmacy does not replace the final check required by the community licensed pharmacy.
As a reminder, regulated members at the community licensed pharmacy from which the patient receives the drug and is provided care must have a professional relationship with the patient. Pharmacists must complete the patient assessment and must confirm the appropriateness of the compounded and repackaged medication prior to dispensing. This includes verifying indication, effectiveness, safety, and usage or adherence, and then documenting that this process occurred.
Regulated members must adhere to the requirements outlined in the SPPPT when dispensing all medications, including those that have been prepared by pharmacies with a compounding and repackaging licence. This is an essential step for regulated members to protect the public’s health and well-being and uphold excellence in pharmacy practice.
Licensees of community pharmacies should review their policies and procedures with their pharmacy teams to ensure that the final check is being completed for all medications, including compounded and repackaged medications received from a compounding and repackaging licensed pharmacy.