What is one primary responsibility of pharmacists regarding controlled substances?

Pharmacists have a critical role in ensuring the safe and lawful handling of controlled substances. One of their primary responsibilities is to maintain accurate inventory counts of these substances. This responsibility is essential for compliance with both state and federal regulations, which require pharmacies to account for all controlled substances in their inventory.

Maintaining accurate inventory counts helps to prevent drug diversion, which is the misappropriation of controlled substances for illicit purposes. By regularly tracking inventory, pharmacists can identify discrepancies, investigate potential diversion, and ensure that they are complying with legal requirements regarding record keeping and reporting. This vigilance not only protects public health but also helps maintain the pharmacy's operational integrity.

In contrast, while monitoring insurance coverage and advising on non-prescription drugs are important functions of pharmacists, they do not specifically address the legal and regulatory responsibilities related to controlled substances. Filling prescriptions without question is also not appropriate, as pharmacists must verify the appropriateness of each prescription, especially for controlled substances, to ensure patient safety and legality. Hence, maintaining accurate inventory counts stands out as a fundamental responsibility of pharmacists concerning controlled substances.