A client who received a refill for a medication returns to the pharmacy and says, "This medication is wrong! It doesn't look anything like my usual prescription." Which response by the pharmacist would be most appropriate?

Question

1. "Your usual prescription drug is too expensive, so I substituted it with a generic one."
2. "There is no difference between this drug and the one you usually get."
3. "Our state allows me to substitute a generic drug when the prescription calls for a brand-name drug."
4. "Don't worry. Can you see that the generic ingredients are exactly the same?"
5. "This medication is a generic form of your other medication. That is why it looks different. But it has the same ingredients and should work the same way."

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 3,5
Rationale 1: It may be true that the client's prescription is a brand name and more expensive, but this is not an appropriate explanation for the substitution.
Rationale 2: While this may be true, it does not give the client an appropriate explanation for the substitution.
Rationale 3: Some states allow the pharmacist to routinely substitute a generic drug for a brand-name drug. Other states prohibit this substitution and the pharmacist or client must request the substitution from the health care provider.
Rationale 4: The ingredients may be exactly the same, but this is not an appropriate explanation for the substitution.
Rationale 5: There may be several forms of a generic medication. Although they may look different, the ingredients and mechanism of action are the same.
Global Rationale: Some states allow the pharmacist to routinely substitute a generic drug for a brand-name drug. Other states prohibit this substitution and the pharmacist or client must request the substitution from the health care provider. There may be several forms of a generic medication. Although they may look different, the ingredients and mechanism of action are the same. It may be true that the client's prescription is a brand name and more expensive, but this is not an appropriate explanation for the substitution. While there may be no difference between the two medications, this does not give the client an appropriate explanation for the substitution. The ingredients may be exactly the same, but this is not an appropriate explanation for the substitution.