This document outlines good dispensing practices for pharmacists. It discusses the dispensing process, environment, and scope. The six major activities of the dispensing cycle are receiving and validating prescriptions, understanding and interpreting prescriptions, preparing and labeling items, making a final check, recording actions taken, and issuing medicine to patients with instructions. The role of pharmacists is to fill prescriptions precisely and provide patients with medication, information, and guidance to ensure compliance.

1. GOOD DISPENSING
PRECTICE
Dr. Maryam Idrees
Pharmacist
Lahore, Pakistan

2. DISPENSING PROCESS
Good Dispensing Practice ensures that the right
medicines of desired quality are delivered
correctly to the right patient with the right dose,
strength, frequency, dosage form and quantity,
together with clear instructions, both written
and verbal and with appropriate packaging
suitable for maintaining the quality and efficacy
of the medicine.

3. DISPENSING ENVIRONMENT
The dispensing environment
includes;
• Qualified / trained staff
• Appropriate physical
surroundings
• Adequate shelving and storage
areas
• Proper work surfaces
• Suitable equipment
• Necessary packaging materials

4. SCOPE
• 1. Applicable to Group B and C of Poisons Lists
2. Medicines for human use only
• 3. Applicable to public healthcare facilities
• 4. Applicable to the licensed private healthcare
facilities (clinics, hospitals, community
pharmacies, dental clinics)

5. PHARMACIST
Fill prescription in
precise manner
Advice the
prescriber of drug
substitutes the
patient may have,
or other medication
s taken by patient
Maintain trust of
prescriber and patient
Provide the
medication need
of the patient
Provide the patient with
information and
guidance to ensure
patient’s compliance to
the medication
prescribed.
ROLE OF PHARMACIST

6. SIX MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF DISPENSING
CYCLE
1. Receive and validate the prescription
2. Understand and interpret the prescription
3. Prepare and label items for issue
4. Make a final check
5. Record the action taken
6. Issue medicine to the patient with clear
instructions and advice

8. Step 1. Receive and validate the
prescription
• confirm the name of the patient.
• Cross-checking the name and identity of the
patient
• The use of matching numbers or symbols—one
attached to the prescription and one given to the
patient

9. Step 2. Understand and interpret the
prescription
 Read the prescription
 Correctly interpret any abbreviations used by the
prescriber
 Confirm that the doses prescribed are in the normal
range for the patient (noting sex and age)
 Correctly perform any calculations of dose and issue
quantity
 Identify any common drug-drug interactions

10. Step 3. Prepare and label items
It is done by following steps;
I. Select stock container or prepack
II. Selection from a shelf: Read the label
every time
III. Position label upward when pouring
liquids
IV.Counting methods
V. Pack and label medicine

11. Preparing and labeling Cycle
Read prescription carefully
Selection from a shelf: Read the
label every time
Measure quantity
accurately

12. Step 4. Make a final check
• the dispensed preparation should be checked
against the prescription.
• The final check should include;
a. checking for drug interactions
b. checking the identity of the medicine
dispensed
c. checking the labels
d. finally countersigning the prescription.

13. Step 5. Record action taken
• Three different methods can be used to keep a
record of medicines dispensed
• When the prescription is retained
• the dispenser should initial and annotate the
prescription with strength and quantities
dispensed
• either file it or enter the details into a record
book as soon as time is available.

14. Step 6. Issue medicine to the patient
with clear instructions and advice
• The medicine must be given to the named patient, or
the patient’s representative, with clear instructions
and any appropriate advice about the medicine.
• Advice should therefore concentrate on—
 When to take the medicine (particularly in relation to
food and other medicines)
 How to take the medicine (chewed, swallowed whole,
taken with plenty of water, etc.)
• How to store the medicine
• Warnings about possible side effects should be given

15. PROMOTING EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT IN
DISPENSING
• Good dispensing practices are most threatened
when dispensing staff face a crowd of patients
demanding immediate attention.
In dispensing, accuracy is more important
than speed.
• Organizing patient flow