South Carolina Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) Practice Exam

If methadone is dispensed in a retail pharmacy, it must be used primarily for what purpose?

1. Detoxification

2. Maintenance therapy

3. Analgesia

4. Substitution therapy

The correct answer is: Analgesia

The correct answer is that methadone must be primarily used for analgesia when dispensed in a retail pharmacy. Methadone is an opioid analgesic that is employed effectively in the management of moderate to severe pain. Its analgesic properties make it suitable for use in various medical situations, including chronic pain management. When methadone is used in this context, it plays a crucial role in providing pain relief, particularly for patients who may not respond well to other pain medications or who have specific pain management needs. The regulatory guidelines require that when methadone is prescribed and dispensed within a retail pharmacy setting, it should be primarily for pain management rather than preventive or alternative treatments found in other contexts like detoxification programs for substance use disorder. This background allows for a clearer understanding of why the focus is on analgesia within retail pharmacy settings, as retail pharmacies typically do not engage in detoxification or maintenance treatment programs, which are generally handled in specialized facilities or programs.