(a) In addition to the requirements of Section 4202, a pharmacy technician shall satisfy each of the following requirements before working at a remote dispensing site pharmacy:
(1) Possess a pharmacy technician license that is in good standing.
(2) Possess and maintain a certification issued by a board-approved pharmacy technician certification program.
(3) Possess one of the following:
(A) A minimum of an associate degree in pharmacy technology.
(B) A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in any subject.
(C) A certificate of completion from a course of training specified by regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 4202.
(4) Complete a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience working as a pharmacy technician within the two years preceding first commencing work in the remote dispensing site pharmacy.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 4115, a registered pharmacy technician may perform order entry, packaging, manipulative, repetitive, and other nondiscretionary tasks at a remote dispensing site pharmacy under the supervision of a pharmacist at a supervising pharmacy using a telepharmacy system.
(c) A pharmacy technician at a remote dispensing site pharmacy shall not do any of the following:
(1) Receive a new prescription order orally from a prescriber or other person authorized to prescribe by law.
(2) Consult with a patient or their agent regarding a prescription, either before or after dispensing, or regarding any medical information contained in a patient medication record system or patient chart.
(3) Identify, evaluate, or interpret a prescription.
(4) Interpret the clinical data in a patient medication record system or patient chart.
(5) Consult with any prescriber, nurse, or other health care professional or authorized agent thereof.
(6) Supervise the packaging of drugs and check the packaging procedure and product upon completion.
(7) Perform any function that requires the professional judgment of a licensed pharmacist.
(8) Compound drug preparations.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 4115, a pharmacist at a supervising pharmacy may supervise up to two pharmacy technicians at each remote dispensing site pharmacy. This subdivision shall not be construed to alter a pharmacist’s ability to also supervise pharmacy technicians at the supervising pharmacy.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 679, Sec. 2. (AB 690) Effective October 9, 2019.)