CPPA Practice Test

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CPPA Practice Test (V1)

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Question 1

A state legislature is considering a new bill that would expand the scope of practice for pharmacists to include prescribing oral contraceptives. A pharmacy policy analyst for a state association is tasked with writing a position paper. Which of the following components is most essential to include to create a persuasive argument for policymakers?

  1. An estimate of the increased revenue for pharmacies if the bill passes.
  2. A list of all the pharmacists in the state who are in favor of the bill.
  3. Data from other states with similar laws showing improved patient access and safety outcomes.
  4. A detailed description of the pharmacology of all available oral contraceptives.

Question 2

A health system's Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Committee is developing a new policy for the use of biosimilars. The policy analyst is asked to draft the section on automatic substitution. To ensure patient safety and provider confidence, the policy should state that automatic substitution by the pharmacy is only permitted when:

  1. the biosimilar is manufactured by the same company as the reference biologic.
  2. the biosimilar has been designated as "interchangeable" by the FDA.
  3. the biosimilar is at least 20% cheaper than the reference biologic.
  4. the patient's insurance plan lists the biosimilar as a preferred agent.

Question 3

A policy analyst is reviewing a proposed federal rule that would reclassify a medication from prescription-only to over-the-counter (OTC) status. In assessing the impact of this policy change on public health, which factor is the primary consideration for the FDA?

  1. The potential financial loss to the pharmaceutical manufacturer.
  2. Whether a consumer can self-diagnose the condition and use the medication safely and effectively without professional guidance.
  3. The impact on prescription volume and workflow for community pharmacies.
  4. The preference of physician specialty groups regarding the medication's status.

Question 4

When a new internal policy is implemented, such as a new procedure for handling medication waste, what is the policy analyst's role during the post-implementation phase?

  1. To personally retrain any staff member who does not follow the new policy correctly.
  2. To develop and execute a monitoring plan to audit compliance and measure the policy's effectiveness.
  3. To rewrite the entire policy if even a single instance of non-compliance is discovered.
  4. To ensure the policy is filed with the appropriate state and federal regulatory agencies.

Answer Key

  • Question 1: C. Data from other states with similar laws showing improved patient access and safety outcomes. (Policymakers are most persuaded by objective data and evidence of success from other jurisdictions.)
  • Question 2: B. the biosimilar has been designated as "interchangeable" by the FDA. (This specific FDA designation is the legal and clinical standard required for a pharmacist to substitute without prescriber intervention.)
  • Question 3: B. Whether a consumer can self-diagnose the condition and use the medication safely and effectively without professional guidance. (This is the core principle of the FDA's Rx-to-OTC switch evaluation.)
  • Question 4: B. To develop and execute a monitoring plan to audit compliance and measure the policy's effectiveness. (Policy work is a cycle; post-implementation monitoring is key to ensuring the policy is working as intended.)