Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a)
General. It is unlawful
for a person not licensed as a pharmacist by the Board to engage or allow
another person to engage in the practice of pharmacy as defined in §
27.1 (relating to definitions) and
section 2 of the act (63 P. S. §
390-2) except in accordance with this
section.
(b)
Delegation. A pharmacist may delegate aspects of the practice
of pharmacy to a pharmacy intern or pharmacy technician, as defined in §
27.1, subject to the following
conditions:
(1) The pharmacist shall review
every prescription or drug order prior to its being dispensed to determine the
name of the drug, strength, dosage, quantity, permissible refills and other
information required under §
27.18(b)
(relating to standards of practice) to verify the accuracy of the
preparation.
(2) The pharmacist
shall provide direct, immediate and personal supervision to pharmacy interns
and pharmacy technicians working with the pharmacist. Direct, immediate and
personal supervision means that the supervising pharmacist has reviewed the
prescription or drug order prior to its being dispensed, has verified the final
product and is immediately available on the premises to direct the work of
interns and technicians and respond to questions or problems.
(3) The pharmacist shall ensure that the
label of the container in which a nonproprietary drug is dispensed or sold
pursuant to a prescription complies with the labeling requirements of §
27.18(d).
(c)
Pharmacy interns.
(1) A
pharmacy intern may work only under the direct, immediate, personal supervision
of a pharmacist in accordance with subsection (b)(2).
(2) A pharmacy intern may neither enter nor
be in a pharmacy if a pharmacist is not on duty.
(3) A pharmacy intern working under the
direct, immediate, personal supervision of a pharmacist may perform procedures
which require professional skill and training. Examples of these procedures
include: verifying ingredients, weighing ingredients, compounding ingredients
and other similar processing of ingredients.
(4) A pharmacy intern working under the
direct, immediate and personal supervision of a pharmacist may administer
injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations if the pharmacist and the
pharmacy intern each hold an active authorization to administer injectable
medications, biologicals and immunizations issued by the Board, in accordance
with §§ 27.401-27.408.
(d)
Pharmacy technicians.
(1) A pharmacy technician may work only under
the direct, immediate, personal supervision of a pharmacist in accordance with
subsection (b)(2).
(2) The
following are examples of the types of activities which a pharmacy technician
may perform:
(i) Carry containers of drugs in
and around the pharmacy.
(ii) Count
pills, tablets and capsules and put them in a container.
(iii) Type or print, or both,
labels.
(iv) Maintain records which
are related to the practice of pharmacy.
(v) Assist the pharmacist in preparing and
reconstituting parenteral products and other medications. After the parenteral
product or other medication has been prepared, the supervising pharmacist shall
initial the label of the product or medication to document his final inspection
and to accept total responsibility for its preparation.
(vi) Enter prescription, drug order or
patient information in a patient profile.
(vii) Assist the pharmacist in the
compounding of drug products, as permitted by the written protocol created and
maintained in accordance with paragraph (4).
(3) A pharmacy technician may not:
(i) Accept or transcribe an oral order or
telephone prescription.
(ii) Enter
or be in a pharmacy if a pharmacist is not on duty.
(iii) Perform any act within the practice of
pharmacy that involves discretion or independent professional
judgment.
(iv) Perform a duty until
the technician has been trained and the duty has been specified in a written
protocol.
(4) The
pharmacist manager shall create and maintain a written protocol for each
pharmacy technician employed in the pharmacy. The protocol shall specify each
duty which the pharmacy technician may perform. The pharmacist manager and the
pharmacy technician shall date and sign the protocol and each amendment to the
protocol. The pharmacist manager shall make the protocol available to agents of
the Board upon demand.
The provisions of this §27.12 amended under
sections 4(j), 6(k)(1) and (9) and 9.2(a) of the Pharmacy Act (63 P.S.
§§
390-4(j),
390-6(k)(1) and (9) and
390-9.2(a)).
This section cited in 6 Pa. Code §22.62 (relating
to conditions of provider participation); and 49 Pa. Code §
27.1 (relating to
definitions).
