On annual Pharmacy Technician day, PTCB urges expansion of certification

WASHINGTON Today marks the 18th annual National Pharmacy Technician Day, and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board is using the occasion to cite the contributions made by the nation’s 300,000 pharmacy techs.

“On National Pharmacy Technician Day, PTCB recognizes the accomplishments and commitment of pharmacy technicians earning and maintaining PTCB certification and contributing to the pharmacy team,” said Melissa Murer Corrigan, executive director and CEO of the organization. “Safe medication use systems require the support of well-qualified and competent pharmacy technicians.”

Certification, she noted, “is critical to ensuring that our nation’s pharmacy technicians are able to provide these vital services safely and effectively,” and patients seem to concur. A 2007 survey sponsored by PTCB showed that 91 percent of American consumers “support strong regulations across the country to protect patient safety by requiring that pharmacy technicians be trained and certified,” noted the certification board.

Nevertheless, 19 states still don’t require standardized certification of pharmacy techs by any accrediting agency. PTCB, which helped develop the accreditation process and has certified over 320,000 techs, is working to broaden certification requirements to all 50 states. The group was established in 1995, and is governed by five pharmacy organizations: the American Pharmacists Association, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists, the Michigan Pharmacists Association and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.