NEW CATEGORIES OF LICENSED PHARMACY PERSONNEL

To oppose the creation of new categories of licensed pharmacy personnel.

Rationale

State efforts to introduce a “pharmacist assistant” category conflict with longstanding ASHP efforts to support the professional growth of licensed or registered pharmacy technicians. Pursuant to these state proposals, pharmacists could delegate a number of activities that fall under the purview of their practice to the pharmacist assistant, such as receiving telephone calls, prescriptions, tech-check-tech, etc. In effect, this would create another midlevel provider in the pharmacy. Not only would this create confusion regarding terminology and job roles, it would undermine ASHP’s work to professionalize the technician role. The policy should not be read as impeding the use of current licensed personnel, including technicians and students.