An 11-year-old child has a private prescription for melatonin tablets. Which statement regarding repeats is correct?

• A. The prescription cannot be repeated unless the prescriber has added a direction for repeat
• B. The prescription may be repeated automatically after 6 months
• C. The repeats are not allowed for melatonin under private prescription
• D. The prescription can be repeated only if the prescriber did not specify any repeat

Answer: (A)

Repeats on private prescriptions aren’t automatic. The prescriber must explicitly add a repeat instruction to allow the pharmacy to dispense the medicine more than once. If no repeat instruction is given, the pharmacist may supply only a single course. Melatonin here isn’t inherently repeatable; its repeat status depends entirely on what the prescriber writes. That’s why the statement that the prescription cannot be repeated unless the prescriber has added a direction for repeat is the best answer. The other options misstate how private repeats work (whether they happen automatically, or are restricted for melatonin, or depend on the absence of a repeat instruction).