How can a pharmacy technician help reduce medication waste?

A pharmacy technician can significantly reduce medication waste by accurately dispensing prescribed amounts. This practice ensures that patients receive only the quantity of medication they need, thereby minimizing excess that may go unused. Precision in dispensing helps align the medication supply with actual demand, preventing situations where patients are given more medication than they can consume before it expires or is no longer needed.

The other choices do not effectively address the issue of medication waste in the same way. For instance, promoting all available medications to patients may encourage them to consider options that they do not ultimately use, which could lead to waste. Refusing to return unused medications does not facilitate the management of medication stock and could contribute to waste by not allowing for the safe disposal or repurposing of medicines. Lastly, marking down prices for expired medications does not prevent waste but rather addresses the aftermath of it; it does not focus on responsible dispensing practices that could avoid expiration in the first place.