What action should be taken with misbranded or adulterated drugs?

The action to quarantine and destroy misbranded or adulterated drugs is essential for ensuring public safety and maintaining the integrity of the medication supply chain. Misbranding refers to products that have misleading or erroneous labeling, while adulteration pertains to drugs that are contaminated, tampered with, or do not meet safety standards.

By quarantining these drugs, a pharmacy effectively prevents their distribution and use. This step is crucial because using compromised medications can lead to ineffective treatment, adverse effects, and increased public health risks. Destruction is also necessary to eliminate any chance of inadvertent use or potential harm to patients.

Returning such products to the supplier is insufficient, as it does not address the immediate risk posed to patients and might lead to the same issues of misbranding and adulteration being perpetuated. Selling the drugs at a discount or giving them away fails to remove the potential hazards and violative characteristics associated with these medications, thereby compromising patient safety and breaching regulatory standards.

In summary, quarantining and destroying misbranded or adulterated drugs protects patient health and helps maintain the standards required in pharmacy practice.