Which situation does NOT require a pharmacist to provide counseling?

The situation where a pharmacist does not need to provide counseling is when a patient is a minor. In many jurisdictions, including Vermont, counseling is typically required primarily when the patient is capable of understanding the medication's use, side effects, and interactions. While minors may still receive medication guidance, the law generally places the responsibility of counseling on the parents or guardians as they are the ones ultimately responsible for the patient's medication management. Therefore, since counseling is mandated for patients who are adults or capable of making informed decisions, it is not specifically required when the patient is a minor and the counseling is generally directed towards the adult overseeing the minor's care.

In contrast, counseling is usually necessary when a patient requests it, when medications are being refilled (to ensure continued understanding of the regimen and to check for any changes in therapy), or when dealing with inpatients in a hospital setting (to provide essential medication information and ensure safety and understanding in a clinical context).