Working in a pharmacy requires skill and a watchful eye. Any mistake made can result in the harm of someone else. As a health care professional the last thing you want to see is your mistake hurting someone. But there is something else you have to watch out for that you may not be on the lookout for and that’s a fake prescription.

There are more than enough addicts hanging around the pharmacy that you should be alert and be scouting every single prescription that comes through your pharmacy. If you don’t it could cost you more than the pills. It could cost you your job.

The first thing you need to forget is what you think a drug addict might look like. There are those that fit the classic Hollywood movie profile but most look just like you and if they came into the pharmacy you wouldn’t know the difference. This is majorly important. You must assume every single prescription carries with it the possibility of being a phony and judge each one accordingly.

One of the first and easiest things to spot on a phony medication order is how much of the directions are spelled out. A doctor may write “tab bid with food” this conveys the order to a pharmacy staff member but if the order were spelled out like “Take One tablet by mouth two times daily with food” is far too spelled out for a pharmacy not to raise a red flag.

Look for excessive quantities too and with no diagnosis on the front. Also look for suspicious order for a patient where they are tight lipped about the injury. A good doctor who is ordering a high quantity of a controlled narcotic and not outwardly justifying it is up to no good and should be trusted.

Also, when taking in a prescription called in over the phone make sure you ask for the doctors DEA number. Most patients don’t know the DEA number of the doctor they are trying to represent. These tips will help you with a phony prescription.