Question

The Durham-Humphrey Amendment to the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act made prescriptions for some drugs A. no longer required for IV solutions. B. required by retail pharmacies only. C. required by compounding pharmacies only. D. a legal requirement.

Answer 1

D. a legal requirement in order to protect the safety of drug abuse.

Answer 2

Answer is D) a legal requirement.

You probably know that some drugs, such as Tylenol, can be purchased without a prescription (over the counter), while others, such as Xanax, require the guidance and prescription of a medical practitioner. This is due to this amendment, passed in 1951 by two Congressmen who used to be pharmacists.

Before this law, you could get any drug without a prescription, at least under federal law.