Which statement is correct regarding prescriptions marked "DAW"?

When a prescription is marked "DAW" (Dispense as Written), it indicates that the prescriber has specified that the brand-name drug must be dispensed rather than a generic alternative. This instruction takes precedence over any other considerations regarding substitution. Therefore, the appropriate action is to always dispense the brand-name product as requested by the physician.

In this context, the marking suggests a clear intent from the prescriber to ensure that the patient receives a specific brand, which may be due to factors like efficacy, tolerability, or patient history. It is essential for a pharmacy to respect this directive to uphold the prescriber's clinical judgment and to avoid potential therapeutic discrepancies that could arise from switching to a generic version.

While options that suggest dispensing a generic form, contacting the physician for clarification, or informing the patient about the pharmacy's policy may appear reasonable in other scenarios, they do not align with the explicit instruction provided in a "DAW" marked prescription. Following the DAW instruction is fundamental for compliance with both pharmacy law and the trust in prescriber-patient relationships.