Subscribe to receive free pharmacy resources and practice questions

10 Generic Drugs Facts

1.Health Canada reviews and approves all drugs (brand-name and generic) before they can be sold in Canada.

2.Health Canada mandates that a generic drug is designed to work the same way in the body as the original brand-name drug.

3.Health Canada requires that both brand-name and generic drug companies follow the same rules for the manufacturing process and for ensuring the quality of their ingredients.

4.Health Canada mandates that generic drugs have the same active ingredient and that they work the same way in the body as the brand-name drug.

5.Generic drugs must also have the same amount of active ingredient in the prescription.

6.Health Canada even regulates the non-medicinal ingredients, such as fillers and preservatives, for both brand-name and generic drugs and they are subject to the same approval process.

7.When a generic drug is approved by Health Canada that means the medicine is as safe and as effective as the original brand-name drug and they will work the same way.

8.The only difference between a generic and a brand-name drug is the price. Generic drugs are used to fill more than 63% of all prescriptions in Canada, but they account for only 24% of the $22.1-billion dollars Canadians spend annually on prescription drugs.

9.About two-thirds of all prescriptions in Canada are filled with generic drugs.

10.Everyday in Canada, approximately one-million prescriptions are filled using generic drugs.

From The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA)

Overview of NAPRA’s National Drug Schedules (NDS)

Schedule I drugs: A prescription is required. Schedule I drugs are provided to patients by the pharmacist following diagnosis and intervention of a healthcare practitioner. The sale of schedule I drugs is controlled in a regulated environment according to provincial pharmacy legislation.

Schedule II drugs: A prescription is not required. However, schedule II drugs are available only from the pharmacist and must be stored within an area of the pharmacy where there is no public access and no opportunity for self-selection. Schedule II drugs require the professional intervention of the pharmacist at the point of sale and possibly referral to a healthcare practitioner.

Schedule III drugs: A prescription is not required. However, schedule III may present risks to certain populations in self-selection. Schedule III drugs are sold from the self-selection area of the pharmacy which is operated under the direct supervision of the pharmacist, subject to any local professional discretionary requirements which may increase the degree of control. The pharmacist is available, accessible and approachable to provide assistance.

Unscheduled drugs: Unscheduled drugs can be sold without professional supervision. Adequate information is available for the patient to make a safe and effective choice. The labeling of unscheduled drugs is deemed sufficient to ensure the appropriate use of the drug.

Additional FREE resources at cpepreponline.com

Top 5 Tips for EE Review

Tip#1: Start early! The curriculum is extensive.

Tip#2: First, review the core subject areas ideally in the following order:

1. Biomedical Sciences
2 or 3. Pharmaceutical Sciences
2 or 3. Pharmacy Practice
4. Pharmacy Administration

Tip#3: Take advantage of the POWER of note taking. When you write down something you have a BETTER chance of remembering it! Get a dedicated notebook and write down key learning objectives. Here is a great guide on note taking:

Note Taking Guide

Tip#4. Study as many practice questions as you can! Practice, practice and practice!

Tip#5. Review your written notes. Your notes represent a concise summary of the core subject areas.

Disclaimer: These exam review tips are general guidelines and do not in anyway guarantee succeeding any exam.

Some 2013 Canadian drug approvals

Subscribe to receive free pharmacy resources and practice questions

Which of the following newly approved drugs is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease?

A. Mirabegron
B. Rotigotine
C. Trametinib
D. Pasireotide
E. Olodaterol


Answer: B

Rotigotine is a transdermal dopamine agonist for Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.
Mirabegron- A beta-3 agonist for overactive bladder; Trametinib- A kinase inhibitor for advanced melanoma; Pasireotide - A somatostatin analogue for Cushing's disease; Olodaterol- Inhaled long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilator for COPD.



Which of the following fentanyl formulations is not approved in Canada?

A. IV Solution
B. Transdermal Patch
C. Sublingual Tablet
D. Nasal Spray
E. None of the above

Answer: E

C-Fentora and D-Instanyl have been approved in 2013.
A list of new drug dosage forms approved by Health Canada in 2013 is available at www.cpepreponline.com under “Free Pharmacy Resources #1”



Integrase inhibitors also called integrase strand transfer inhibitors belong to the class of antiretroviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV infection. They inhibit the action of the viral enzyme integrase that inserts the viral genome into the DNA of the host cell. Integrase inhibitors are co-administered with other antiretroviral agents. Which of the following drugs are integrase inhibitors?

I. Raltegravir
II. Dolutegravir
III. Elvitegravir

A. I only
B. III only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III

Answer: E
Dolutegravir and Elvitegravir have been approved in 2013.

Exam Strategies

Helpful Exam Strategies


Relax
Manage your time wisely
Read questions carefully
Attempt the questions that are easiest for you first. Come back and do the harder ones later.
Circle or underline important terms. Some important terms called modifiers and qualifiers are: only, always, sometimes, rarely, never, none, usually, sometimes, frequently and often
Try to think of the answer before looking at the options

When you don’t know the answer
Never leave a question blank
Eliminate choices you know are incorrect at1st glance to narrow the options
If two of the alternatives are similar, give them your consideration!

Disclaimer: These exam strategies are general guidelines and do not in anyway guarantee succeeding any exam.

Free pharmacy resources at www.cpepreponline.com

A typical Evaluating Exam question

Subscribe to receive free pharmacy resources and practice questions

Here is a common question: “What type of EE questions should I expect?”

You should expect multiple choice questions (MCQs). MCQs can be divided in two basic types: one answer type (Q1 and Q2) and k-type (Q3 and Q4) with a combination of possible answers. Please, refer to examples.

Multiple choice questions are composed of one question or stem with multiple possible answers or choices, including the correct answer and several incorrect answers called distractors or foils. MCQs require accurate knowledge and careful reading of the instructions. Therefore, a thorough review of subject areas is needed. The challenge in multiple choice exams is not to be distracted by the distractors. Practicing questions under exam conditions will help enhance your time management skills.
Next time, I will provide a list of helpful exam strategies.

Examples:

Q1. Levodopa may produce all of the following biological effects, EXCEPT:

A. Orthostatic hypotension
B. Depression
C. Nystagmus
D. Anorexia
E. Alopecia

Answer: C
Dyskinesia is another side effect of levodopa. Nystagmus is the side effect of other drugs such as phenytoin, carbamazepine and barbiturates. Alopecia is hair loss.
Levodopa (L-Dopa) is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.


Q2. Which of the following nasal sprays has been withdrawn form the Canadian market effective October 1st, 2013?

A. Rhinalar (Flunisolide)
B. Miacalcin (Calcitonin)
C. Imitrex (Sumatriptan)
D. Octostim (Desmopressin)
E. Soframycin (Framycetin)

Answer: B
Due to the incidence of cancer.

Q3. Correct statements concerning the enzyme alteplase also known as tissue plasminogen activator include:

I. Given orally
II. Clinical applications include acute pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction and stroke
III. Enhances blood clot degradation via the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin

A. I only
B. III only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III

Answer: D
Alteplase is a thrombolytic agent administered by IV.

Q4. Which of the following hormones affect the release of prolactin?

I. Dopamine
II. Thyrotropin releasing hormone
III. Somatostatin

A. I only
B. III only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III

Answer: C
Dopamine inhibits the release of prolactin whereas thyrotropin releasing hormone has opposite effect. Prolactin stimulates lactation.

PEBC Evaluating Exam (EE)

Subscribe to receive free pharmacy resources and practice questions

The Evaluating Exam, commonly called EE, is designed to assess the knowledge of International Pharmacy Graduates in the following key areas:

- Biomedical Sciences
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmacy Practice
- Pharmacy Administration

Becoming a licensed pharmacist in Canada requires the following steps:

1.Document evaluation to assess the eligibility of International Pharmacy Graduates to write the first exam called the Evaluating Exam (EE).

2. Following successful document evaluation. You need to pass the Evaluating Exam (EE).

3. Once you have passed the Evaluating Exam (EE), you are eligible to take the Qualifying Exam Part I (MCQ) and the Qualifying Exam Part II (OSCE).

4. The final step is the Provincial Jurisprudence Exam and English test if required.

Canadian Pharmacy Exams Prep Resources