Is it true that a pharmacy is not required to maintain a perpetual inventory of schedule II controlled substances?

A pharmacy must maintain a perpetual inventory of schedule II controlled substances, which is crucial for compliance with federal and state regulations. This requirement ensures that pharmacies accurately track the quantities of these controlled substances from the time they are received until they are dispensed or disposed of. The perpetual inventory allows for proper accountability and helps prevent diversion and misuse of these highly regulated medications.

By maintaining this inventory, pharmacies can monitor discrepancies, manage stock levels, and report any losses or thefts to authorities, such as the DEA. This practice is essential not only for legal compliance but also for promoting patient safety and maintaining the integrity of the pharmacy operations.

Other options suggest variations in maintaining these records, such as exemption for small pharmacies or monitoring by the DEA, but regulations do not provide leniency based on size or monitoring status. All pharmacies that dispense schedule II substances must follow this inventory requirement.