49 Pa. Code § 27.12 - Practice of pharmacy and delegation of duties

(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, pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee, 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 and immediate personal supervision to pharmacy interns, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy technician trainees working with the pharmacist.
(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 and 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 and 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 and immediate 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 and pharmacy technician trainees.
(1) A pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee may work only under the direct and 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 or pharmacy technician trainee 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) {Reserved}.
(vi) Enter prescription, drug order or patient information in a patient profile.
(vii) Assist the pharmacist in the compounding of sterile and nonsterile drug products, as permitted by the written protocol created and maintained in accordance with paragraph (4).
(3) A pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee may not do any of the following:
(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 pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee 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 and pharmacy technician trainee employed in the pharmacy. The protocol shall specify each duty which the pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee may perform. The pharmacist manager and the pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee shall date and sign the protocol and each amendment to the protocol. When a change of pharmacist manager occurs, the new manager shall review the protocol and sign it, indicating that the new manager understands its contents. The pharmacist manager shall make the protocol available to agents of the Board upon demand.
(5) A pharmacy technician shall wear a name tag that clearly identifies the pharmacy technician's first name with the title "Registered Pharmacy Technician."
(6) A pharmacy technician trainee shall wear a name tag that clearly identifies the pharmacy technician trainee's first name with the title "Pharmacy Technician Trainee."

Notes

49 Pa. Code § 27.12
The provisions of this § 27.12 amended September 4, 1998, effective 9/5/1998, 28 Pa.B. 4532; amended December 24, 2009, effective 12/26/2009, 39 Pa.B. 7205; amended June 21, 2019, effective 6/22/2019, 49 Pa.B. 3210; amended July 8, 2022, effective 7/9/2022, 52 Pa.B. 3822. Amended by Pennsylvania Bulletin, Vol 55, No. 26. June 28, 2025, effective 6/28/2025

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).

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