Regarding automated pharmacy systems, which statement is NOT a listed requirement?

• A. They must be operated only by pharmacists
• B. They must be approved by the board
• C. They must verify accuracy of all drugs dispensed for a continuous 45 day period, accuracy must be 99.985%
• D. They have a quality assurance program to ensure the system is in good working order and accurate

Answer: (A)

Automated pharmacy systems are assessed against regulatory and quality standards to ensure safety and reliability. The board’s approval is required so the system undergoes formal oversight and compliance checks before use. A quality assurance program is put in place to keep the system in good working order and to verify ongoing accuracy, addressing maintenance, monitoring, and corrective actions. There’s also a stringent performance expectation that the system verify the accuracy of all drugs dispensed over a defined period (in this case, a continuous 45-day period) with a very high accuracy target (99.985%), which establishes a measurable level of reliability. The statement about being operated only by pharmacists is not a listed requirement, as many settings allow trained staff or technicians to operate automated systems under appropriate supervision or policy.