What must pharmacies do regarding the storage of C3-5 substances?

Pharmacies are required to ensure that controlled substances, including those classified as C3-5, are readily retrievable. This means that any time a pharmacy is audited or a controlled substance is requested, they must be able to quickly and efficiently locate these medications within their inventory. This requirement is critical for maintaining regulatory compliance and ensuring the safety and accountability of controlled substances in the pharmacy setting.

The concept of "readily retrievable" pertains to record-keeping and accessibility standards that pharmacies must adhere to, facilitating not only operational efficiency but also regulatory oversight by authorities. This can involve having items organized in a manner that allows quick access or having electronic systems in place that ease the retrieval of records related to these substances. Meeting this standard is essential for the pharmacy's adherence to federal and state laws governing controlled substances.

While the other choices touch on important aspects of storing controlled substances, they either do not capture the essential regulatory focus on retrieval or imply a level of separation or special requirements that are not explicitly required by law for items classified under C3-5.