January 23, 2017

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) has decided to suspend the implementation of the planned 2020 accredited education requirement for pharmacy technicians who seek PTCB Certification.
 
PTCB originally announced in 2013 that the requirement would take effect in 2020 as part of a road map of program changes designed to keep pace with the evolution of technician roles in the pharmacy. “We have determined that additional deliberation and research are needed to address stakeholder input, develop supporting policy, and conduct further study of technician roles,” said Larry Wagenknecht, BPharm, Chair of the PTCB Board of Governors, and CEO of the Michigan Pharmacists Association.
 
“The pharmacy community is prepared to engage in a thoughtful discussion regarding the potential for an education requirement for pharmacy technician certification,” said PTCB Executive Director and CEO Everett B. McAllister, MPA, RPh. “PTCB is part of the broad pharmacy community and we listen to those invested in, and affected by, our policies. Ultimately, this deliberative approach serves patients and advances our common missions to improve medication safety and advance patient care.”
 
As the role of the pharmacy technician evolves to meet current health care needs, PTCB continues to take steps to support the pharmacy community. PTCB recently completed a Job Analysis study to collect data on current roles and responsibilities of pharmacy technicians across all practice settings to update PTCB’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam, and is in the process of developing advanced certification programs. PTCB is hosting an invitational conference to be held in February. Pharmacy leaders and stakeholders will examine entry-level standards and provide information to help determine future plans for implementation of PTCB program changes.
 
“PTCB is studying the many roles and responsibilities of today’s pharmacy technicians at different levels and in varying settings,” said Mr. McAllister. “This information needs to be taken into consideration as we determine the appropriate requirements for initial certification applicants.”
 
“PTCB is committed to advancing medication safety and establishing standards for pharmacy technician certification to protect the public and advance patient care in every state and territory in the US,” said Mr. Wagenknecht. “Advancing medication safety requires the pharmacy community to reach a level of consensus together.”
 
“PTCB is a nonprofit organization. We are continually collecting feedback from the pharmacy community and seeking consensus to guide our program,” said Mr. McAllister. “This process can make our decision-making more complicated, but it is more supportive of the pharmacy profession and critical to fulfilling our mission as a nonprofit organization.”