According to federal guidelines, where should the pharmacist indicate the date on which a prescription refill is dispensed?

The correct answer is to indicate the date on which a prescription refill is dispensed on the back of the paper prescription. This practice ensures accurate record-keeping and is in line with federal regulations that require pharmacists to maintain a complete and detailed account of prescription refills.

When the date is documented on the back of the prescription, it allows for an organized record that can be easily referenced by both the pharmacist and the patient. This ensures that there is a clear trail of when refills occur, which is essential for tracking medication usage, managing inventory, and maintaining compliance with federal and state laws regarding the dispensing of controlled substances.

In terms of the other options, documenting the date on the front of the prescription may not be practical, as it may lead to confusion or clutter on the prescription itself. Recording it in the patient's profile, while useful for internal tracking, may not provide the immediate physical evidence of dispensing required by regulations. Keeping it in the pharmacy's log does maintain a record, but it does not directly associate the refill date with the specific prescription, which can lead to challenges in accountability during audits and evaluations.