If no technician is available, what is allowed for dispensing and counseling?

• A. If no tech, dispensing and counseling via video and audio link may be done using a secure alternative delivery system with board approval
• B. If no tech, dispensing cannot occur under any circumstances
• C. In-person counseling only
• D. Telepharmacy is not allowed

Answer: (A)

The situation is handled by using a secure remote system that allows dispensing and patient counseling when no technician is available. The key idea is that the board can authorize a secure alternative delivery method, including a video and audio link, so the pharmacist can supervise and communicate with the patient even from a distance. This maintains patient safety and access to medications while ensuring the process is verifiable and compliant with regulatory requirements.

This is why the option with board-approved telecommunication or telepharmacy that uses a secure delivery system best fits. It recognizes that dispensing and counseling can occur without a on-site technician, as long as the system is secure, real-time, and approved by the board. The other choices imply prohibitions or overly restrictive practices (no dispensing at all, counseling only in person, or that telepharmacy isn’t allowed), which don’t align with allowing safe remote dispensing and counseling under proper oversight.