The Task Force recommended, and the NABP Executive Committee approved, that NABP amend the Model Act to a recommendation that all boards of pharmacy require pharmacy technicians to be certified by 2015, in accordance with the JCPP Future Vision of Pharmacy Practice.

Technician accountability is vital for a new vision of pharmacy practice and new roles for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Part of ensuring that pharmacy technicians meet such standards is the implementation of a standard measure of competency. Toward this end, under the advisement of the task force and the approval of the Executive Committee, NABP encourages the boards of pharmacy to require certification by the PTCB. These announcements were released at NABP’s annual meeting held last week.

The Task Force’s recommendation to certify all pharmacy technicians using the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) comes at a time when the demand for technician competency through uniform standards has never been greater. A 2007 poll commissioned by PTCB showed that 91% of American consumers surveyed support strong regulations across the country to protect patient safety by requiring that pharmacy technicians be trained and certified.

“The task force’s latest encouragement of this standard reinforces PTCB’s place as the strongest certification program available for pharmacy technicians,” said Melissa Murer Corrigan, RPh, Executive Director and CEO of PTCB. “Having consistent requirements for pharmacy technician certification in every state is an important first step towards meeting the high standard of safety that patients expect and deserve.”

NABP has been at the center of developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for states since 1904. NABP reviewed and approved the PTCE through Resolution 96-1-2000, which was adopted by the NABP member boards at the 96th Annual Meeting in 2000.

PTCB is currently the only certification program endorsed by NABP, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
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For more information about certification, and technician standards visit www.ptcb.org and www.pharmacytechnician.org

“PTCB certification provides the core skills and nationally recognized credentials necessary for pharmacy technicians to deliver optimal pharmacist support and patient care,” said Kermit Crawford, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy at Walgreens. “Walgreens was the first to get behind PTCB certification and strongly supports the new continuous testing format because it creates daily access to the highest quality exam offered.”

The transition to on-demand, year round exam availability is designed to meet increasing demand from employers, state boards of pharmacy, educators, and pharmacy technicians for greater access to the highest quality exam. PTCB candidate demographics and numbers have expanded steadily over PTCB’s 14 years as the industry leader in certifying pharmacy technicians. In 2008, PTCB tested over 50,000 pharmacy technicians and has certified more than 339,000 CPhTs since inception in 1995, through the examination and transfer process. The PTCB certification program utilizes Pearson Professional Centers for testing, the same centers used by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy for its North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX).

“More and more, state boards of pharmacy are requiring pharmacy technicians to be PTCB certified, and we recognize the need to adjust our format to meet the demand for qualified technicians,” said Melissa Murer Corrigan, RPh, Executive Director and CEO of PTCB. “In the first month of the new format, 6,800 pharmacy technicians have applied for testing. Clearly this is an idea whose time has come, and we are excited to once again break new ground for pharmacy technicians, employers, and patients.”

PTCB’s certification program is widely recognized and trusted throughout the industry for ensuring that pharmacy technicians across the country adhere to the highest standards. The PTCB certification program is the only certification endorsed by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and other professional pharmacy organizations. PTCB’s examination is available in all 50 states at over 200 Pearson Professional Centers, internationally at DANTES testing centers, and in Guam and Puerto Rico.

A giant step to reduce the number of medication errors is to pass legislation that will require the education and certification of Pharmacy Technicians.

Many organizations, including the NPTA,  are working hard to pass such legislation (Emily’s Law) but are being met with fierce opposition by chain pharmacies and other lobbying organizations.

Passing of this type of law will not only help to reduce the amount of medication errors and increase patient safety, but it will also ensure that pharmacy technicians become the recognized professionals we all know we can be.

For more information on what you can do to help, click here.