What is one of the responsibilities of a pharmacist during a prospective drug review?

During a prospective drug review, one significant responsibility of a pharmacist is to identify therapeutic duplication. This is a critical function that involves assessing a patient’s medication regimen prior to the dispensing of a new prescription. The pharmacist checks for any medications that serve similar therapeutic purposes, which could lead to unnecessary duplication in treatment.

Therapeutic duplication can increase the risk of adverse effects, medication interactions, and can complicate the patient’s treatment plan. By identifying these duplications, the pharmacist can intervene before the medication is dispensed, ensuring that the patient receives the safest and most effective therapy possible. This proactive approach not only safeguards the patient’s health but also contributes to the overall quality of medication management within healthcare.

The other options, while they may be relevant to the broader role of a pharmacist, do not specifically pertain to the critical task of reviewing a patient's medication prior to dispensing new prescriptions.