PTCB Certification Required for Technicians by Department of Veterans Affairs

June 17, 2010 4:39 pm Topics: Pharmacy technicians

Under new regulations from the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, pharmacy technicians working for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will be required to receive certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), as reported by Drug Store News. Pharmacy technicians provide pharmacy services to veterans in a variety of VA pharmacy environments including VA hospitals, outpatient care clinics, as well as the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy.

NABP has taken several actions to examine the education, training, and certification requirements for pharmacy technicians and members support the PTCB standards. The NABP Task Force on Pharmacy Technician Education and Training Programs (PDF) met October 6-7, 2009; the charge of the task force included reviewing the existing state requirements for technician education and training, and recommending national standards for technician education and training programs and encouraging boards of pharmacy to recognize them. Further, NABP member boards passed Resolution No. 106-7-10, “Continued Efforts to Standardize Pharmacy Technician Education and Training Programs,” at the 106th Annual Meeting held in Anaheim, CA on May 22-25, 2010.