Final answer:
The number of tablets to be dispensed is specified in the 'quantity' section of a prescription, not by DEA. The DEA is concerned with controlled substances regulation. For prescriptions, dosages and corresponding quantities are calculated according to the medication's strength and frequency of use.
Step-by-step explanation:
The part of a prescription that indicates the number of tablets to be dispensed is known as the 'quantity' section. This is not denoted by 'DEA,' which stands for Drug Enforcement Administration, an agency that regulates the handling of controlled substances, not prescription quantities.
An example of how the quantity is determined can be seen in a prescription that requires a dosage of 0.225 mg of Synthroid to be taken once a day. If the tablets in stock contain 75 µg (micrograms) of Synthroid, mathematically, three tablets of 75 µg each would be needed to fulfill the prescribed 0.225 mg (225 µg) daily dose.
To further illustrate the dispensing process, suppose a quality control chemist at a pharmaceutical company checks the accuracy of machines that are meant to dispense volumes of cough syrup. Similar principles apply when ensuring that prescription medications, like tablets, are dispensed accurately both in research settings and pharmacies.