If not terminally ill, LTC, or nursing home, under what conditions can a pharmacist partially dispense a C-II?

• A. Not allowed
• B. Only if the patient requests
• C. All of the following: 1) requested by patient or prescriber; 2) remaining portion must be dispensed within 30 days; 3) documentation
• D. DEA approval required

Answer: (C)

Partial dispensing of Schedule II medications is allowed, but only under specific, tightly controlled conditions. The pharmacist can dispense part of the prescribed quantity if either the patient or the prescriber requests it. The remaining quantity must be filled within 30 days of the date of the original prescription. Proper documentation is required: the pharmacist must record the partial fill, including how much was dispensed, the date, and the remaining balance. This setup helps ensure patient access to necessary meds while maintaining accurate records to prevent misuse. If there’s no request for a partial fill and no documentation, the full amount should normally be dispensed at once; the 30-day window applies only when a partial fill is authorized and documented. For reference, different, longer timeframes apply in long-term care or terminally ill situations, but those are separate allowances.