What is stock rotation in a pharmacy setting?

What is stock rotation in a pharmacy setting?

• A. The process of moving products with an early expiration date to the front of a shelf and later expiration dates to the back.
• B. A method to rotate staff on different shifts.
• C. A procedure for rotating stock between cold and room temperature.
• D. A policy to reorder items after reaching a minimum quantity.

Answer: (A)

Stock rotation is organizing inventory so that the oldest stock is used first. In a pharmacy, this means placing items with earlier expiration dates at the front of the shelf and newer stock toward the back. This FEFO approach minimizes waste and helps ensure patients receive medications that are still within their shelf life, supporting safety and inventory control. It’s not about shifting staff, moving stock between cold and room temperatures, or reordering quantities—those are separate concepts.

Stock rotation is organizing inventory so that the oldest stock is used first. In a pharmacy, this means placing items with earlier expiration dates at the front of the shelf and newer stock toward the back. This FEFO approach minimizes waste and helps ensure patients receive medications that are still within their shelf life, supporting safety and inventory control. It’s not about shifting staff, moving stock between cold and room temperatures, or reordering quantities—those are separate concepts.