A. No person shall perform the duties of a pharmacy technician without first being registered as a pharmacy technician with the Board. Upon being registered with the Board as a pharmacy technician, the following tasks may be performed:

1. The entry of prescription information and drug history into a data system or other record keeping system;

2. The preparation of prescription labels or patient information;

3. The removal of the drug to be dispensed from inventory;

4. The counting, measuring, or compounding of the drug to be dispensed;

5. The packaging and labeling of the drug to be dispensed and the repackaging thereof;

6. The stocking or loading of automated dispensing devices or other devices used in the dispensing process;

7. The acceptance of refill authorization from a prescriber or his authorized agency, so long as there is no change to the original prescription;

8. Under the supervision of a pharmacist, meaning the supervising pharmacist is at the same physical location of the technician or pharmacy intern, and consistent with the requirements of § 54.1-3303.1, administration of the following drugs and devices to persons three years of age or older as set forth in regulations of the Board: vaccines included on the Immunization Schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and vaccines for COVID-19; and

9. The performance of any other task restricted to pharmacy technicians by the Board’s regulations.

B. To be registered as a pharmacy technician, a person shall submit:

1. An application and fee specified in regulations of the Board;

2. Evidence that he has successfully completed a training program that is (i) an accredited training program, including an accredited training program operated through the Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education program or approved by the Board, or (ii) operated through a federal agency or branch of the military; and

3. Evidence that he has successfully passed a national certification examination administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association.

C. The Board shall promulgate regulations establishing requirements for:

1. Issuance of a registration as a pharmacy technician to a person who, prior to the effective date of such regulations, (i) successfully completed or was enrolled in a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program or (ii) passed a national certification examination required by the Board but did not complete a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program;

2. Issuance of a registration as a pharmacy technician to a person who (i) has previously practiced as a pharmacy technician in another U.S. jurisdiction and (ii) has passed a national certification examination required by the Board; and

3. Evidence of continued competency as a condition of renewal of a registration as a pharmacy technician.

D. The Board shall waive the initial registration fee for a pharmacy technician applicant who works as a pharmacy technician exclusively in a free clinic pharmacy. A person registered pursuant to this subsection shall be issued a limited-use registration. A pharmacy technician with a limited-use registration shall not perform pharmacy technician tasks in any setting other than a free clinic pharmacy. The Board shall also waive renewal fees for such limited-use registrations. A pharmacy technician with a limited-use registration may convert to an unlimited registration by paying the current renewal fee.

E. Any person registered as a pharmacy technician prior to the effective date of regulations implementing the provisions of this section shall not be required to comply with the requirements of subsection B in order to maintain or renew registration as a pharmacy technician.

F. A pharmacy technician trainee enrolled in a training program for pharmacy technicians described in subdivision B 2 may engage in the acts set forth in subsection A for the purpose of obtaining practical experience required for completion of the training program, so long as such activities are directly monitored by a supervising pharmacist.

G. To be registered as a pharmacy technician trainee, a person shall submit an application and a fee specified in regulations of the Board. Such registration shall only be valid while the person is enrolled in a pharmacy technician training program described in subsection B and actively progressing toward completion of such program. A registration card issued pursuant to this section shall be invalid and shall be returned to the Board if such person fails to enroll in a pharmacy technician training program described in subsection B.

H. A pharmacy intern may perform the duties set forth for pharmacy technicians in subsection A when registered with the Board for the purpose of gaining the practical experience required to apply for licensure as a pharmacist.

I. A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse practicing at an opioid treatment program pharmacy may perform the duties set forth for pharmacy technicians in subsection A, provided that all take-home medication doses are verified for accuracy by a pharmacist prior to dispensing.

2001, c. 317; 2004, c. 47; 2020, cc. 102, 237; 2022, cc. 138, 790, 791.