When can a pharmacist collect a returned drug?

A pharmacist can collect a returned drug primarily when it is being returned for disposal. This is because returned medications pose safety and legal concerns. If a drug has been dispensed and returned, it cannot generally be put back into inventory for safety reasons, which is critical for both patient health and regulatory compliance.

When it comes to accepting returned medications, regulations typically prioritize situations where the drugs are deemed unfit for patient use or need to be disposed of due to expiration or other safety concerns.

The option regarding collecting a returned drug only upon patient request does not encompass the full scope of what is permissible in practice, as patient requests might not align with safe disposal practices. Similarly, the notion that a drug can only be returned if it is intact and unopened also does not adequately address the legal framework around drug returns – even unopened drugs may still require specific conditions for return or disposal adhering to regulatory guidelines.

Therefore, while a drug's condition may play a role in its acceptability for return, the primary reason a pharmacist would collect a returned drug is specifically tied to its return for proper disposal.