DHA Exam Questions for Pharmacists 2026: What the DHA Pharmacist Paper (PHO5481) Tests, Pass Mark and Format, Why the 'DHA Pharmacy Questions PDF' Files Are Outdated, and 20 Free DHA-style MCQs with Answers on Therapeutics, Calculations, Pharmacy Law, Counselling and Compounding
Preparing for the DHA exam for pharmacists? This guide explains the Dubai Health Authority pharmacist paper (PHO5481) in 2026: the number of questions, time, pass mark and blueprint, the clinical pharmacist and pharmacy technician papers, why the 'DHA pharmacy exam questions PDF' files fail candidates, and 20 free DHA-style MCQs with answers and explanations on pharmacotherapy, pharmaceutical calculations, UAE controlled-drug law, patient counselling, drug interactions and compounding.
The DHA exam for pharmacists is the pharmacist paper (PHO5481) for registered pharmacists, with separate papers for clinical pharmacists (PHO5482) and pharmacy technicians (PHT5451), all delivered by Prometric after the Dubai Health Authority confirms eligibility on Sheryan. The paper is clinical and regulatory: therapeutics to current guidelines, calculations, UAE dispensing and controlled-drug rules, and counselling. The recalled "DHA pharmacy questions" PDFs shared in groups fail candidates because their therapeutics are years out of date. This guide explains the format and gives 20 free DHA-style questions with answers. The licence route is in the DHA licence for pharmacists and the plan in DHA pharmacist exam preparation.
The DHA pharmacist exam at a glance (2026)
| Item | Pharmacist (PHO5481) |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Computer-based at Prometric centres worldwide, booked after Sheryan issues eligibility |
| Questions | About 100 to 150 single-best-answer MCQs |
| Time | About 2 to 3 hours |
| Pass mark | About 60% (the eligibility letter is the authoritative source; see DHA passing score by profession) |
| Blueprint | Pharmacotherapy and clinical pharmacy (largest), pharmaceutical calculations, pharmaceutics and compounding, pharmacokinetics, drug information and interactions, patient counselling, pharmacy law and controlled drugs, ethics and medication safety |
| Other titles | Clinical Pharmacist (PHO5482) with more hospital case questions; Pharmacy Technician (PHT5451) with more dispensing and calculation items |
| Attempts and fee | Usually three per eligibility; about USD 220 to 280 per attempt (DHA fees) |
Why the "DHA pharmacy exam questions PDF" fails candidates
- Outdated therapeutics: the files pre-date SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure and CKD, current anticoagulation guidance, new antimicrobial stewardship rules and updated vaccination schedules.
- Wrong law: UAE controlled-drug categories and dispensing rules have changed; old files teach superseded forms and validity periods.
- Unverified answers typed by whoever compiled the recall, with error rates of 20 to 30% in the files our tutors check.
- No timing or reasoning, which the screen-based exam rewards (more on the PDF trap).
20 free DHA-style questions for pharmacists
Pharmacotherapy
1. A patient with type 2 diabetes, heart failure and an eGFR of 45 needs a second agent after metformin. Best choice: (A) sulfonylurea (B) SGLT2 inhibitor (C) pioglitazone (D) DPP-4 inhibitor. Answer: B. Cardiovascular and renal benefit.
2. A patient with atrial fibrillation and a mechanical mitral valve should be anticoagulated with: (A) apixaban (B) warfarin to a target INR (C) rivaroxaban (D) aspirin alone. Answer: B. DOACs are not licensed for mechanical valves.
3. First-line pharmacological treatment for hypertension in a 60-year-old Black patient without diabetes is: (A) ACE inhibitor alone (B) calcium channel blocker or thiazide-like diuretic (C) beta blocker (D) alpha blocker. Answer: B.
4. An asthmatic adult on salbutamol alone with symptoms twice a week should be stepped up to: (A) regular salbutamol (B) low-dose inhaled corticosteroid-formoterol as reliever or maintenance (C) oral prednisolone (D) montelukast alone. Answer: B. GINA no longer recommends SABA-only treatment.
5. A patient on simvastatin 40 mg is prescribed clarithromycin. The pharmacist should: (A) dispense both (B) contact the prescriber because CYP3A4 inhibition raises simvastatin levels and rhabdomyolysis risk; hold the statin during the course or switch antibiotic (C) halve the statin (D) refuse the antibiotic. Answer: B.
Calculations
6. Amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily for 7 days as a 250 mg/5 mL suspension needs: (A) 105 mL (B) 140 mL (C) 210 mL (D) 70 mL. Answer: C.
7. A 70 kg patient is prescribed gentamicin 5 mg/kg once daily from a 40 mg/mL vial. Volume: (A) 3.5 mL (B) 8.75 mL (C) 17.5 mL (D) 5 mL. Answer: B. 350 mg ÷ 40.
8. To make 500 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride you need: (A) 0.45 g (B) 4.5 g (C) 45 g (D) 9 g. Answer: B.
9. A drug with a half-life of 8 hours reaches steady state in approximately: (A) 8 hours (B) 16 hours (C) 32 to 40 hours (D) 1 week. Answer: C. Four to five half-lives.
10. Dopamine 400 mg in 250 mL at 5 mcg/kg/min for a 60 kg patient runs at: (A) 5.6 mL/h (B) 11.25 mL/h (C) 18 mL/h (D) 22.5 mL/h. Answer: B.
Pharmacy law and controlled drugs (UAE)
11. A prescription for a narcotic (controlled) drug in the UAE must be: (A) a standard prescription (B) on the official controlled-drug prescription form with the prescriber's and patient's identification, limited quantity and validity, and full dispensing records (C) refillable for six months (D) accepted by telephone. Answer: B.
12. Antibiotics in the UAE may be dispensed: (A) over the counter on request (B) only on a valid prescription, under the Ministry's antimicrobial resistance rules (C) with a pharmacist's note (D) freely for children. Answer: B.
13. A patient travelling to the UAE with a prescribed controlled medicine should: (A) bring any quantity (B) carry a prescription and, for listed drugs, obtain prior approval from the Ministry's controlled-medicine system for a limited supply (C) post it ahead (D) buy it on arrival without a prescription. Answer: B.
14. Expired and returned medicines in a pharmacy must be: (A) resold at a discount (B) segregated, documented and disposed of through an approved waste contractor, with controlled drugs destroyed under witnessed procedures (C) given to staff (D) discarded in general waste. Answer: B.
Counselling and safety
15. Counselling for alendronate: (A) take at bedtime with milk (B) take with a full glass of water on an empty stomach, stay upright for 30 minutes (C) chew the tablet (D) take with antacids. Answer: B.
16. A woman on an enzyme-inducing antiepileptic asks about the combined oral contraceptive. The pharmacist advises: (A) no interaction (B) reduced contraceptive efficacy; use a non-interacting method such as an IUD or depot injection (C) double the pill dose (D) stop the antiepileptic. Answer: B.
17. Which pair is a look-alike, sound-alike risk requiring tall-man lettering and separate storage? (A) paracetamol and ibuprofen (B) hydroxyzine and hydralazine (C) amoxicillin and omeprazole (D) metformin and insulin. Answer: B.
18. A pharmacist receives a prescription for methotrexate 7.5 mg daily for rheumatoid arthritis. The correct action is: (A) dispense as written (B) contact the prescriber, because methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis is dosed weekly and daily dosing is a known fatal error (C) dispense with a warning label (D) halve the dose. Answer: B.
Compounding and pharmaceutics
19. Which preparation must be made under aseptic conditions in a laminar airflow or isolator? (A) an oral suspension (B) a parenteral admixture such as a TPN bag or intravenous antibiotic (C) a cream (D) a capsule. Answer: B.
20. Insulin vials in use should be stored: (A) frozen (B) at room temperature for up to about 28 days, with unopened stock refrigerated at 2 to 8 °C (C) in direct sunlight (D) above 30 °C. Answer: B. Cold-chain breaches in Gulf summers are a tested safety point.
How to prepare for the DHA pharmacist exam
- Confirm your title (pharmacist, clinical pharmacist or technician) with the free eligibility check.
- Work through the Pharmacist bank (3,059 explained MCQs in 32 chapters, chapter 1 free) with an error log (error-log method); technicians use the Pharmacy Technician bank.
- Use the free sets: pharmacist questions and pharmacy technician questions, and review the pharmacist guide for the law content.
- Sit three timed mocks, then book through Prometric once Sheryan shows eligibility (how to apply for a DHA licence).
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in the DHA exam for pharmacists?
About 100 to 150 MCQs in 2 to 3 hours with a pass mark of about 60%; the eligibility letter is the authoritative source.
Is the DHA pharmacist exam the same as the MOH and DOH exams?
The blueprints are very similar; DHA and MOHAP use Prometric and DOH uses Pearson VUE, so one preparation covers all three.
Does the DHA pharmacist exam include UAE pharmacy law?
Yes. Controlled-drug prescriptions, antibiotic dispensing rules, labelling and disposal are tested alongside therapeutics.
Where can I get free DHA pharmacist exam questions?
The 20 questions above, the free pharmacist set linked in this article, and the free chapter 1 of the Pharmacist bank.
How long should I prepare for the DHA pharmacist exam?
Four to eight weeks of daily practice for pharmacists in current practice; longer after a gap or for candidates new to hospital therapeutics.
Practice banks for this exam
Chapter-wise MCQs with written reasoning on every question, and timed mocks at the real pass mark.