Inventory management is important in any pharmacy setting to ensure the pharmacy stocks enough medications and products to meet the needs of its patients. Drugs that are expired, soon to expire, deteriorated, contaminated, or recently recalled should be removed from stock shelves. Pharmacy technicians routinely perform this task.

Think about your externship and share your experience or observation of this process.

1. Have you participated in this process while on externship? If so, what have you learned?
2. What is the pre-determined time period for removing a soon-to-expire medication form stock?
3. What is the procedure for removing recalled drugs from inventory?