South Carolina Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) Practice Exam

Which drugs does USP 800 apply to?

1. All prescription drugs

2. Hazardous drugs

3. Controlled substances only

4. Over-the-counter medications

The correct answer is: Hazardous drugs

The correct choice is that USP 800 applies specifically to hazardous drugs. These drugs are identified based on their potential to cause significant harm to health care workers who handle them. USP 800 provides guidelines to promote the safe handling of hazardous drugs in healthcare settings, particularly in pharmacies and hospitals. This includes aspects such as storage, preparation, and disposal to minimize the risk of exposure to personnel and patients. Hazardous drugs can include those that are toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, or have reproductive toxicity. The intent of these regulations is to protect the safety of workers who are involved in any aspect of these medications, from compounding and dispensing to administering them to patients. The other categories mentioned in the options are not covered by USP 800; for instance, all prescription drugs include non-hazardous medications, controlled substances represent a subset of drugs regulated for their potential for abuse, and over-the-counter medications typically do not pose the same handling risks that necessitate the specific precautions outlined in USP 800.