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Kenya PPB Pharmacist Registration Examination

Practice Questions100 questions

Exam Review

Key Facts: PPB PharmTech Exam

KES 7,000

Local Citizen Exam Fee

PPB Portal

7 Months

Mandatory Attachment

PPB Guidelines

2.5 Hours

Duration Per Paper

PPB Exam Board

Online

Exam Format

PPB Kenya

Cap 244

Governing Pharmacy Law

Kenya Gazette

3 Sittings

Maximum Attempts

PPB Policy

The PPB Pharmaceutical Technologist Enrolment Examination is the mandatory licensing gate for pharmacy technologists in Kenya, administered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. A KES 7,000 fee applies for Kenyan citizens. Candidates must hold an accredited Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology and complete a 7-month practical attachment. The online exam tests clinical knowledge, calculations, and pharmacy laws.

Sample PPB PharmTech Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PPB PharmTech exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A pharmaceutical technologist is asked to prepare 500 mL of a 2% w/v chlorhexidine solution using a 20% w/v stock solution. What volume of the stock solution and purified water are required, respectively?

A.50 mL of stock solution and 450 mL of purified water

B.100 mL of stock solution and 400 mL of purified water

C.20 mL of stock solution and 480 mL of purified water

D.250 mL of stock solution and 250 mL of purified water

Explanation: Using the dilution formula C1 * V1 = C2 * V2: 20% * V1 = 2% * 500 mL, which gives V1 = (2 * 500) / 20 = 50 mL of stock solution. The volume of purified water needed is the total volume minus the stock volume: 500 mL - 50 mL = 450 mL.

2The adult dose of a drug is 150 mg. Using Clark's rule, what is the appropriate dose for a child weighing 45 lbs?

A.45 mg

B.30 mg

C.60 mg

D.75 mg

Explanation: Clark's rule states that the child's dose is calculated by: (Weight of child in lbs / 150) * Adult dose. Plugging in the values: (45 / 150) * 150 mg = 45 mg.

3The adult dose of a therapeutic agent is 600 mg. Using Young's rule, what is the appropriate dose for an 8-year-old child?

A.240 mg

B.200 mg

C.300 mg

D.150 mg

Explanation: Young's rule is defined as: Child dose = [Age / (Age + 12)] * Adult dose. For an 8-year-old child: [8 / (8 + 12)] * 600 mg = (8 / 20) * 600 mg = 240 mg.

4In what proportion should a 10% hydrocortisone ointment be mixed with a 1% hydrocortisone ointment to prepare a 5% hydrocortisone ointment?

A.4 parts of 10% and 5 parts of 1%

B.5 parts of 10% and 4 parts of 1%

C.3 parts of 10% and 5 parts of 1%

D.1 part of 10% and 2 parts of 1%

Explanation: Using the alligation alternate method: the desired strength is 5%. Subtracting diagonally: 10% - 5% = 5 parts of 1%, and 5% - 1% = 4 parts of 10%. Thus, the ratio of 10% to 1% is 4:5.

5A dry powder injection vial contains 500 mg of ampicillin. The displacement volume of the powder is 0.4 mL. To obtain a final concentration of 250 mg/mL, how much sterile water for injection should be added?

A.1.6 mL

B.2.0 mL

C.2.4 mL

D.1.2 mL

Explanation: The total volume required for a 250 mg/mL concentration is 500 mg / 250 mg/mL = 2.0 mL. Since the powder itself displaces 0.4 mL, the diluent volume to add is 2.0 mL - 0.4 mL = 1.6 mL.

6An intravenous infusion of 1,000 mL is scheduled to run over a period of 8 hours. The administration set has a drop factor of 15 drops/mL. What is the required flow rate in drops per minute (gtts/min)?

A.31 gtts/min

B.42 gtts/min

C.21 gtts/min

D.62 gtts/min

Explanation: Flow rate (gtts/min) = (Total volume in mL * Drop factor) / Time in minutes. Time = 8 hours * 60 minutes = 480 minutes. Flow rate = (1,000 mL * 15 drops/mL) / 480 minutes = 15,000 / 480 = 31.25, which rounds to 31 gtts/min.

7If 250 mL of a liquid weighs 325 grams, what is the specific gravity of the liquid?

A.1.30

B.0.77

C.1.15

D.1.50

Explanation: Specific gravity is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water: Specific Gravity = Weight / Volume = 325 g / 250 mL = 1.30.

8How many milligrams of potassium chloride (KCl, MW = 74.5 g/mol) are required to provide 20 milliequivalents (mEq) of potassium ions (K+)?

A.1,490 mg

B.745 mg

C.2,980 mg

D.149 mg

Explanation: For a monovalent electrolyte like KCl, 1 mEq is equivalent to 1 millimole (mmol). 20 mEq of K+ requires 20 mmol of KCl. Weight in mg = millimoles * molecular weight = 20 mmol * 74.5 mg/mmol = 1,490 mg.

9Using Fried's rule, calculate the appropriate pediatric dose of a drug for a 10-month-old infant if the adult dose is 100 mg.

A.6.67 mg

B.8.33 mg

C.5.00 mg

D.10.00 mg

Explanation: Fried's rule is used for infants under 2 years of age: Infant dose = (Age in months / 150) * Adult dose. For a 10-month-old infant: (10 / 150) * 100 mg = 6.67 mg.

10What is the total quantity of dextrose in grams contained in 1 liter of D5W (5% Dextrose in Water)?

A.50 g

B.5 g

C.500 g

D.100 g

Explanation: D5W means 5% w/v dextrose, which is 5 grams of dextrose in every 100 mL of solution. Since 1 liter is 1,000 mL, the amount of dextrose is (5 g / 100 mL) * 1,000 mL = 50 grams.

About the PPB PharmTech Exam

Professional registration assessment for pharmaceutical technologists in Kenya. Practice with 100 high-quality, exam-aligned questions covering pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacy calculations, pharmacognosy, and Kenyan pharmacy law (Cap 244).

Exam sponsor: Pharmacy and Poisons Board Kenya. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

2 hours 30 minutes per paper

Passing Score

Competency-based

Exam / Certification Fees

KES 7,000

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: 65%. estimated average pass rate This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

30%

Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Drug classes, mechanisms of action, indications, adverse reactions, contraindications, and drug-drug interactions.

25%

Pharmaceutics and Compounding

Dosage form design, formulation excipients, compounding techniques, sterilization, preservation, packaging, stability, and cold chain storage.

20%

Pharmacy Calculations

Pediatric and adult dosing, dilutions, percentage strength, specific gravity, displacement volumes, milliequivalents, flow rates, and business math.

15%

Pharmacy Law and Professional Ethics

Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Cap 244), scheduling of poisons (Part I/II), licensing of premises, valid prescriptions, and the PPB Code of Ethics.

10%

Pharmacognosy

Botanical origins, plant families, active chemical constituents, extraction techniques, and therapeutic uses of crude plant-derived drugs.

Preparing for the PPB PharmTech Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Competency-based
Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
Time limit: 2 hours 30 minutes per paper
Exam / certification fees: KES 7,000 Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PPB PharmTech: Suggested Study Strategy

1Focus heavily on Chapter 244 (Pharmacy and Poisons Act) of the Laws of Kenya, particularly the scheduling of Part I and Part II poisons.

2Practice pharmaceutical calculations daily, focusing on child dosage rules (Clark's, Young's), dilution math, specific gravity, and milliequivalents.

3Understand the active constituents and botanical families of prominent crude drugs like Senna, Digitalis, and Cinchona.

4Ensure a clear grasp of major drug classes, their mechanisms of action, and classic adverse reactions (e.g., ACE inhibitor cough, digoxin halo vision).

5Participate in the mandatory PPB mock exam/rehearsal to ensure your hardware and internet meet the online portal specifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PPB Pharmaceutical Technologist Enrolment Exam?

It is the professional licensing assessment administered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) Kenya. Passing the exam is required to be enrolled as a pharmaceutical technologist and to legally compound and dispense medications under supervision in Kenya.

Who is eligible to take the PPB PharmTech Enrolment Exam?

Candidates must possess a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology from an institution approved by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (e.g., KMTC or private colleges) and have successfully completed a mandatory seven-month practical attachment.

What is the fee for the PPB enrolment exam?

For Kenyan citizens, the Level II assessment fee is KES 7,000 (Stage II) or KES 9,500 (Stage I). For foreign citizens, the fee is KES 20,000 for Level II or KES 22,000 for Level I. These fees are payable online during the application process via the PPB Online Services Portal.

What topics are covered on the PPB Pharmaceutical Technologist Exam?

The exam spans basic medical sciences, pharmacology (mechanisms and side effects), pharmaceutics (dosage forms and compounding), pharmacognosy (herbal drugs and constituents), pharmacy calculations, and Kenyan pharmacy law (predominantly the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, Cap 244, and the Code of Ethics).

How is the PPB Pharmaceutical Technologist Exam administered?

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board conducts the examinations online. Candidates are required to participate in mandatory system rehearsals or mock exams to test their computers and internet connectivity before the official exam window.

What is the passing score and retake policy?

The PPB uses a competency-based grading system. If a candidate fails, they are permitted a maximum of two re-sit attempts, which must be completed within five years from the first sitting.