Final answer:
Upon receiving an initial supply of an investigational drug for a double-blind study, the pharmacist should meticulously document receipt, ensure proper storage and follow the study's protocol for dispensing the medication while maintaining the double-blind structure, with an emphasis on patient safety and regulatory adherence.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a hospital pharmacy agrees to participate in an investigational drug study that is double-blind, and the manufacturer sends the initial supply of the drug, the pharmacist should follow a set of strict procedures to ensure the study's integrity and participants' safety. These procedures include documenting the receipt of the drugs, storing them according to the necessary conditions, and carefully following the study's protocol for dispensing the medication to patients while maintaining the double-blind structure.
Such a structure means that neither the participants nor the researchers know who receives the active drug or the placebo thus preventing any biases in the results. The goal here is to ensure patient safety, adhere to regulatory guidelines such as those set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and protect the validity of the clinical trial data.