Under federal law, how often must a pharmacy conduct an inventory of controlled substances?

In the context of federal law regarding controlled substances, a pharmacy is required to conduct an inventory at least every two years. This regulation is established by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of the requirements for compliance with the Controlled Substances Act.

The rationale for conducting an inventory every two years revolves around ensuring proper accountability and control of controlled substances within a pharmacy. This inventory helps to prevent diversion, ensuring that any discrepancies in quantities can be investigated in a timely manner and helps maintain accurate records for regulatory compliance. Additionally, more frequent inventories may be beneficial for pharmacies, as they allow for better tracking and management of stock and usage rates, but the legal minimum established is this biennial requirement.

In contrast, other options reflect different timeframes that do not align with DEA mandates, which do not specify more frequent inventories as a legal standard. Thus, the correct understanding of the frequency of inventorying controlled substances under federal law is that it is mandated at least every two years.