Question

Prescription calls for 50 mg of chlorpheniramine maleate. using a prescription balance with a sensitivity requirement of 6 mg, explain how you would obtain the required amount of chlorpheniramine maleate with an error not greater than 5%.

Answer 1

There are several types of prescription balances. By law, pharmacy and pharmacist are required to use the balance when giving an amount of medicine to the patient. In order to get the accurate amount of the medicine prescribed through the use of the balance, it is better if a sterilized mini spatula would also be available to easily scoop out very small amount of the medicine from the storage containers. 

Note however that there are also other balances that could not weigh masses lesser than certain values. Be sure to choose ones that are capable of measuring lesser than 50 mg.