Tuesday, November 3, 2009

MPS Tutorial on Forensics Exams

Acknowledgement: Credit goes to Elaine for the content of this post =)
Best of luck to all who are siting for the exams!!

Format
  • Duration: 3 ½ hours

  • MCQ (50 questions; 1 mark each)

    • Tests us on the understanding of pharmacy legislations

    • SAQ (5 questions; 10 marks each; 50 marks in total)

      • For each 10 marks question, approximately “20 points” are needed.

      • Tests us on the application of pharmacy legislations

      Passing mark: 50


Miscellaneous Notes

  1. Btw government pharmacists are REGISTERED and not LICENSED =) Licensed pharmacists are private sector people.

  2. In the Third Schedule of the DD (list of “exemptions” from DDA; as given by DDR 25)), everything would be a PS (eg. methadone, morphine and pethidine) EXCEPT (codeine, diphenoxylate and pholcodeine; which are Group C) and opium (which is Group B).

  3. In law, shall means “wajib”.

  4. What is the difference between drug, poison, non-poison, psychotropic substance and DD?
  • Drug (see definition in SODA) → … substance, product… internally or externally for medicinal purposes.

  • Poison (anything in First Schedule of PA)

  • Non-poison (by definition, anything NOT in First Schedule of PA eg. PCM and LMS)

  • Psychotropic substance (anything in Third Schedule of PA)

  • DD (Anything in First Schedule of DD)

  • THEREFORE, drug consists of poisons, non-poisons, PS and DD (these are sub-sets of drug) as all these are within the definition of → … substance, product… internally or externally for medicinal purposes.


5. How to differentiate between “poisons book” and “prescription book”?

  • Prescription book – for dispensed medicine (Group B and C)

  • Poisons book – OTHER than dispensed medicine (eg. drugs for research purposes).


Q: Explain the supply of injection morphine sulphate for the purpose of medical treatment. [FOCUS on this question, likely to come out again]
  • What is the “guiding factor” of this question?

    • Classification of injection morphine sulphate → psychotropic substance under the third schedule of the PA 52.

    • NOT DD drug (because injection morphine sulpate is a “preparation” and not raw material (eg. morphine powder) → Note: read DDR third schedule (R25).

    • Therefore, we are to supply it in accordance to PPSR.

    • NOTE: We will not get marks if you jumble up everything, ie. explain the supply of injection morphine sulphate using PPSR and DDR. Shows that we “tembak”.

    • Explain what’s “for the purpose of medical treatment”. PPSR R. 11 (SR 1 – 7).

    • What else to mention in the answer: R 19 (recording), R 22, 23(register), R 28 (labeling).

    • NOTE: For each regulation, just explain in your own words (no need to say stuff like “notwithstanding” etc.)


NOTE: The following is a variation of the above question:

Q: Explain the sale of injection morphine sulphate for wholesale supply

  • What is the “guiding factor” of this question?

    • PPSR R 12 states that “… other than medical treatment” → this implies WHOLESALE.

    • Everything in which the “end user” is not a patient is WHOLESALE. Eg. of “end user” being a patient = retail.

    • Therefore, explain using PPSR R. 12 (SR 1 – 2), R 20 (records for wholesale), R 22, 23 (register for wholesale), R 26, 27 (labeling for wholesale).


Q: Explain in relation to poisons (i) immediate personal supervision; (ii) dispensed medicine.

  • NOTE: Always start with definition/interpretation. Use PA.
(i) Immediate personal supervision (S2 (2))

(ii)
Dispensed medicine (S2 (1))

  • There are 2 parties involved in dispensed medicine:

    • Pharmacists (S16?)

    • Non pharmacists (S19)

    • Also talk about group B medicine (S21 (1b,c)) and group C medicine (b)

    • How about recording and labeling of dispensed medicine; and contrasting between government and private settings?





















GovernmentPrivate
RecordingPR 23 (3)PA S 24 (SS1a – d)
LabelingPR 23 (4)PR 12 (a – e)
NOTE: How about for the psychotropic drugs’ recording and labeling?Speaker said “almost the same for GOV and PVT”.

  • NOTE: PR 23 (outpatient), 24 (inpatient) and 25 (storage) is for GOV hospitals BUT PR 24 ALSO applies for PVT hospitals.

  • How about immediate personal supervision?

    • S12, 19.


Q: Explain the requirements for a person to become a pharmacist.

  • ROPA (S6, 6A, 6B, 8, 11A – F)

  • ROPR (R6, 8, 12)

  • NOTE: Basically for this question, just expound on the necessary qualifications, experience, and don’t forget the necessary forms/documents to be sent in/fees if any, etc. → how to become a full-fledged registered pharmacist (FRP). Also talk about who registers us (Pharmacy Board) and to whom do we APPLY to be registered (the “registrar” (ie. the Director of Pharmaceutical Services).

Q: Explain the procurement and supply of morphine powder at a government hospital.
  • The government has 2 means of procurement/obtainment:

    • from a licensed wholesaler (local) DDR 5

    • importation (DDA S20)

  • For the supply, refer to:

    • DDHGEO.

    • Explain using Schedule A (Order 1 – 9). In Order 2, is stated “part 1 of the second schedule” → the register (as mentioned in DDR 15). DRAW this out.


Q: What are the contraventions relating to drugs and products?

  • NOTE: Contravention means any person who does not follow/obey/comply to directive issued by…)

  • SODA – drugs (S 10, 11)

  • CDCR – products (R7, 8, 28, 29).

  • NOTE: (i) Who issues licences under CDCR? (Director of Pharmaceutical Services); (ii) Who registers products? (DCA; not BPFK!)


Q: What are the prohibitions regarding medical advertisements?

  • S3, S4, 4A, 4B

  • NOTE: MASA prevents improper advertisements but not the SALE. (For SALE, go back to SODA/CDCR).

  • NOTE: Diseases in the schedule, strictly CANNOT advertise. But for other diseases, eg. osteoporosis, MAB may consider and give approval. Hence, Anlene® can advertise that its milk helps prevent osteoporosis or whatever

  • NOTE: The label of product is an advertisement!

4 comments:

  1. Hi, I will be sitting for the SPA exam in November 2017. If i have any question could i refer to you?
    Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. Dangerous drug (hosp, etc) (general exemption) order

      Delete
  3. Hello, may I know what are the Group F poisons?

    ReplyDelete