About this test
PTCB Practice Test 5 draws from set 5. By now you have seen enough of the bank to start noticing how the exam builds its wrong answers: often two of the four choices are drugs in the same class, or abbreviations that look alike. This test is a good place to practice ruling those out.
Each distractor in our questions is a realistic mistake, not a throwaway, so the cited explanations tell you exactly why the tempting wrong answer is wrong. That is the most useful thing to study.
New to the material? Work through our 2026 PTCB study guide first, then reinforce it with PTCB Practice Test 4 and PTCB Practice Test 6.
What's in the question bank
| Topic | Questions in bank |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | 2 |
| Brand Generic | 2 |
| Storage | 2 |
| Reporting | 2 |
| Indication | 1 |
| Side Effects | 1 |
| Ndc | 1 |
| Interactions | 1 |
Sample questions with answers
These 8 questions come straight from the 29-question bank the timed test above draws from. Work each one before you open the answer: recalling it cold is what moves it into long-term memory.
1. Amoxil is the brand name for which generic antibiotic?
- A.Ampicillin
- B.Penicillin V potassium
- C.Amoxicillin
- D.Dicloxacillin
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Amoxicillin
Amoxil is a brand name for amoxicillin, a penicillin-class antibiotic used for many common bacterial infections. Ampicillin, penicillin V, and dicloxacillin are related penicillins but are distinct drugs, so brand-to-generic matching matters here.
2. A patient takes levothyroxine each morning and wants to add a calcium carbonate supplement. What administration advice reflects the levothyroxine labeling?
- A.Take both together with breakfast for convenience
- B.Take the calcium 30 minutes after the levothyroxine
- C.Alternate the two drugs on different days
- D.Separate levothyroxine from the calcium supplement by at least 4 hours
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Separate levothyroxine from the calcium supplement by at least 4 hours
Calcium carbonate can form an insoluble chelate with levothyroxine, and iron behaves similarly, reducing thyroid hormone absorption and potentially causing hypothyroidism; the label directs administering levothyroxine at least 4 hours apart from these agents. A 30-minute gap is far too short to prevent the binding interaction.
3. What is a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS)?
- A.An FDA-required risk management program that uses safety strategies beyond the approved labeling to manage a drug's serious risks
- B.A voluntary manufacturer coupon program for high-cost drugs
- C.A DEA program for tracking controlled substance distribution
- D.A state-run prescription drug monitoring database
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. An FDA-required risk management program that uses safety strategies beyond the approved labeling to manage a drug's serious risks
Under Section 505-1 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA may require a manufacturer to implement a REMS when necessary to ensure a drug's benefits outweigh its risks. A REMS may include a Medication Guide, a communication plan, elements to assure safe use, and an implementation system.
4. What is MedWatch?
- A.A DEA database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions
- B.The Joint Commission's sentinel event tracking system
- C.A CDC program dedicated to reporting vaccine adverse events
- D.The FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program for medical products
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. The FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program for medical products
MedWatch is the FDA's medical product safety reporting program for health professionals, patients, and consumers. It receives reports on products such as prescription and OTC medicines, biologics, devices, and combination products, and publishes safety alerts when appropriate. Vaccine events are handled by a separate system, VAERS.
5. A claim rejects with NCPDP code 70, "Product/Service Not Covered." How does this rejection differ from a prior authorization rejection?
- A.Code 70 means the pharmacy is out of network for this patient
- B.Code 70 means the quantity exceeds the plan's limit for one fill
- C.Code 70 means the claim must first be billed to a different payer
- D.Code 70 means the drug is excluded from the plan's benefit rather than pending approval
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Code 70 means the drug is excluded from the plan's benefit rather than pending approval
Reject 70 indicates the billed product is not a covered benefit of the plan, often because of a formulary or plan exclusion. Unlike reject 75, where coverage is possible once a prior authorization is approved, an excluded product generally requires a formulary alternative, a formulary exception request, or cash payment.
6. Tramadol (Ultram) and oxycodone (OxyContin) are both classified as which type of medication?
- A.Opioid (narcotic) analgesics
- B.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- C.Skeletal muscle relaxants
- D.Antidepressants
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Opioid (narcotic) analgesics
Both tramadol and oxycodone are opioid (narcotic) analgesics that act on opioid receptors to relieve pain and are controlled substances. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen relieve pain without acting on opioid receptors and are not controlled, which sets them apart.
7. Lisinopril and other ACE inhibitors carry a boxed warning directing what action when a patient becomes pregnant?
- A.Reduce the dose by half for the remainder of pregnancy
- B.Discontinue the drug as soon as possible, because drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin system can injure or kill the developing fetus
- C.Switch to a twice-daily dosing schedule
- D.Add a potassium supplement to protect the fetus
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Discontinue the drug as soon as possible, because drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin system can injure or kill the developing fetus
The boxed warning states that when pregnancy is detected, lisinopril should be discontinued as soon as possible, since drugs acting directly on the renin-angiotensin system cause injury and death to the developing fetus. Dose reduction is not sufficient because any continued exposure carries the fetal risk.
8. What is the key feature that distinguishes a Schedule II controlled substance from a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA?
- A.Schedule II drugs have a lower potential for abuse than Schedule III drugs
- B.Schedule II drugs have a currently accepted medical use in the United States
- C.Schedule II drugs may be sold without a prescription in limited quantities
- D.Schedule II drugs are exempt from DEA registration requirements
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Schedule II drugs have a currently accepted medical use in the United States
Both Schedule I and Schedule II substances have a high potential for abuse, but Schedule II drugs, such as oxycodone, fentanyl, and methylphenidate, have a currently accepted medical use and therefore can be prescribed. Schedule I substances have no accepted medical use and cannot be dispensed for medical treatment.
Ready for the full timed run? Scroll back up and start the Practice Test 5, or browse every free PTCB quiz by exam domain.
Key concepts to know
Eliminate, then decide
In many questions, two choices are clearly weaker. Cross them out first, then weigh the remaining two on the single detail that separates them. This is faster and more accurate than reading all four as equals.
Watch look-alike, sound-alike traps
The exam loves pairs like hydrOXYzine and hydrALAZINE, or QD and QID. When two choices look alike, slow down and confirm the exact letters or spelling before you answer.
Practice Test 5: FAQ
How do I get better at eliminating wrong answers?
Practice naming why each distractor is wrong, not just picking the right answer. Our explanations model this, since every wrong choice is a realistic mistake with a stated reason.
Is Test 5 harder than the earlier tests?
It uses the same difficulty mix and weighting. The framing here just encourages you to practice distractor elimination, which helps on every test in the series.
Official sources checked
This quiz's content and explanations are built from and cross-checked against primary sources. Verify current exam facts directly with PTCB.