Common Registration Assessment, Part 1

Famciclovir 250mg tablets and course lengths for the GPhC assessment

Three original practice questions, with the working shown. Read the stated prescription or plan before calculating.

Published 7 November 2026. Independent revision material, not GPhC questions, not for patient care.

A practitioner examining a patient's shoulder and neck area
Photo from Pexels, used under the Pexels licence. It is a stock image and does not show the exercise.

The manufacturer's UK product information for famciclovir 250 mg film-coated tablets states that for herpes zoster in immunocompetent adults the dose is 500 mg three times daily for seven days, and in immunocompromised adults 500 mg three times daily for ten days, started as soon as possible after diagnosis.

The same information states that for a first episode of genital herpes in immunocompetent adults the dose is 250 mg three times daily for five days, and for episodic treatment of recurrent genital herpes the dose is 125 mg twice daily for five days.

The 250 mg tablet is scored and can be divided into equal halves, and the same information advises using lower strength tablets where these are available.

Each question fixes the values needed for its arithmetic. Write the unit beside every step and distinguish a single dose from a daily total or a supply period. All prescriptions and patients here are fictional; these are revision materials, not for patient care.

The method

  1. Identify the stated single dose, the daily frequency and the course length in days.
  2. Divide the single dose by the tablet strength to count tablets per dose.
  3. Multiply tablets per dose by the daily frequency, then by the number of days, for the course quantity.
  4. Keep milligrams, tablets and days separate; convert only when the question asks.

Three practice questions

Work each one on paper first, then open the answer. All patients and prescriptions are fictional.

Question 1

A fictional immunocompetent adult takes famciclovir 500 mg three times daily for 7 days for herpes zoster, using 250 mg tablets. How many tablets is the course?

Show the answer

Answer: 42 tablets

Working: 500 mg / 250 mg per tablet = 2 tablets per dose. 2 tablets x 3 doses = 6 tablets each day. 6 tablets x 7 days = 42 tablets.

Question 2

A fictional adult takes famciclovir 250 mg three times daily for 5 days for a first episode of genital herpes. How many 250 mg tablets is the course?

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Answer: 15 tablets

Working: One 250 mg tablet per dose x 3 doses = 3 tablets each day. 3 tablets x 5 days = 15 tablets.

Question 3

A fictional immunocompromised adult takes famciclovir 500 mg three times daily for 10 days for herpes zoster. How many grams of famciclovir is the course?

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Answer: 15 g

Working: 500 mg x 3 doses = 1,500 mg each day. 1,500 mg x 10 days = 15,000 mg = 15 g.

eMC SmPC: Famciclovir 250 mg film-coated tablets

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/9448/smpc

Where marks are lost

  • Using the seven day immunocompetent course length for an immunocompromised patient, whose stated course is ten days.
  • Halving the 250 mg tablet when the stated dose is 500 mg, which needs two whole tablets per dose.
  • Confusing the first-episode regimen with the lower recurrent-episode regimen when counting tablets.

Frequently asked questions

Are these official assessment questions?

No. They are original revision exercises, not official GPhC questions and not for patient care.

Does this calculation decide a real famciclovir course?

No. Follow the stated prescription in the exercise. Real courses depend on the indication, immune status and kidney function, started as soon as possible after diagnosis.

How should I check the answer?

Check the requested unit, then work backwards from the course total to the stated dose, tablet strength and course length.

Sources

The questions above are original and use fictional patients and prescriptions. PreRegExamPrep is not affiliated with or endorsed by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Practise until the method is automatic

Try 15 free questions with worked answers. No sign-up required.

More calculation topics

See also the formula sheet, the eight sample questions and the approved calculator page.