Sale/Supply Meds – Over the Counter

Question 1

What are self-selected medicines?

Answer 1

-Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines
-Herbal products
-Vitamins
-Dietary supplements
-Recreational drugs (e.g. alcohol and tobacco)

Question 2

What is the Human Medicines Regulations 2012?

Answer 2

Regulation for:
-Authorisation of medicinal products for human use
-Manufacture, import, distribution, sale and supply
-Labelling and advertising
-Pharmacovigilance

Question 3

What is the (MHRA)?

Answer 3

-Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Question 4

What does the term ‘over the counter medicines’ mean?

Answer 4

• informal and is not used in the UK medicines
  regulations.

-No prescription needed

Question 5

What is a Product Licence?

Answer 5

-It must include whether the product is to be available: only on prescription; only from a pharmacy; on general sale

Question 6

What does the Category Pharmacy (P) mean?

Answer 6

-an intermediate level of control, can be bought only from pharmacies and
under a pharmacist’s supervision.

Question 7

What does the category General Sales List (GSL) mean?

Answer 7

-may be bought from retail stores, such as a newsagent, a supermarket or a
vending machine in a shop.

Question 8

What does the category Prescription-Only Medicine (POM)?

Answer 8

-has to be prescribed by a doctor or other authorised health professional and it
has to be dispensed from a pharmacy or from another specifically licensed
place.

Question 9

Over the Counter meds are…?

Answer 9

-P meds
-GSL

Question 10

Why are medicines put in categories? BENEFITS

Answer 10

-Quick relief of the disorder
-Individual can exercise more autonomy and choice
-Rapid and convenient access to medicines

Question 11

Who are involved within pharmacy staff?

Answer 11

-Medicines Counter Assistants (MCAs)
-Dispensing/Pharmacy Assistant
-Pharmacy technicians
-Accuracy Checking Technicians (ACTs)

Question 12

What do Medicines Counter Assistants (MCAs) do?

Answer 12

-sale of non-prescription medicines, receipt of
prescriptions, handing out of completed dispensed items and giving advice on health matters.

Question 13

What do Dispensing/Pharmacy Assistant ?

Answer 13

-functions involved in dispensing.

Question 14

What do Pharmacy technicians do?

Answer 14

-technical functions involved in the preparation and supply and dispensing
of medicines. They are also qualified to sell OTC medicines and provide information to customers
on symptoms.

Question 15

What do Accuracy Checking Technicians (ACTs) do?

Answer 15

• check the accuracy of prescriptions dispensed by another staff member before the medicines are given out to patients.

Question 16

What are OTCs?

Answer 16

-medicinal products that are subject to general sale.

-Taken for common, easily recognised ailments
- Ailments which usually last around 2–3 days
-These medicines cause few troublesome side effects in normal use.

Question 17

Where are OTC sold?

Answer 17

-Can always be sold from pharmacies

Can only be sold from other places as long as:

-The premises can be closed to the public
-The medicine was packaged elsewhere
-The Outer packaging has not been opened

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the
categories of medicines available from a
pharmacy?

Answer 18

• OTC, P, POM

Question 19

What are pharmacy only medicines?

Answer 19

-Pharmacy (P) medicines

-Not accessible to the public by self-selection
-Sold from a registered pharmacy premises by a pharmacist or a person acting under the supervision of a pharmacist
-For short term treatment of medical conditions -For management of some long-term conditions

Question 20

Can a sale or supply is made by someone who is not a pharmacist?

Answer 20

-Yes, as long as the transaction is supervised by a pharmacist.

Question 21

Where can GSL medicines be sold?

Answer 21

-anywhere providing it can be closed off from the public
-The outer packaging is unopened

Question 22

What is the legal amount of paracetamol can a pharmacist give out?

Answer 22

-no more than 3 packs as you can’t give more than 100 tablets

Question 23

What is the name of the approval given by the regulator of medicines?

Answer 23

-This is the marketing organisation MHRA