(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to set standards for Board approval of pharmacy technician training programs to ensure that graduates of the programs have the basic knowledge and experience in general pharmacy to practice in most pharmacy settings. Pharmacy technician training programs are not required to be approved by the Board. However, the Board maintains a list of Board-approved pharmacy technician training programs that meet the standards established in this section. (b) Board-approved pharmacy technician training programs.   (1) The approval by the Board of pharmacy technician training programs do not change any requirements for on-site training required of all pharmacy technicians as outlined in the rules for each class of pharmacy.   (2) The standard for Board-approved pharmacy technician training programs shall be the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Accreditation Standard for Pharmacy Technician Training Programs.   (3) The Board may approve pharmacy technician training programs which are currently accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and maintain such accreditation.   (4) The Board may approve pharmacy technician training programs not accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists provided:     (A) the program meets the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Accreditation Standard for Pharmacy Technician Training Programs, modified as follows:       (i) entities providing the pharmacy technician training programs are not required to be health care organizations or academic institutions;       (ii) entities that offer or participate in offering pharmacy technician training programs are not required to be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the American Osteopathic Association, or the National Committee on Quality Assurance; and       (iii) students enrolled in pharmacy technician training programs must have a high school or equivalent diploma, e.g., GED, or they may be currently enrolled in a program which awards such a diploma;     (B) the program:       (i) makes application to the Board;       (ii) provides all information requested by the Board, necessary to confirm that the program meets the requirements outlined in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;       (iii) assists with any inspections requested by the Board of the facilities, records, and/or programs guidelines necessary to confirm that the program meets the requirements outlined in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph; and       (iv) pays an application processing fee to the Board of $100.00;     (C) the program director provides written status reports upon request of the Board and at least every three years to assist in evaluation of continued compliance with the requirements; and     (D) the program is subject to an on-site inspection at least every six years.   (5) The Board may require an outside entity to conduct any evaluations and/or inspections of a pharmacy technician training program as outlined in paragraph (4) of this subsection. This outside entity shall report to the Board whether a pharmacy technician training program meets the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Accreditation Standards for Pharmacy Technician Training Programs as modified. Cost of these evaluations shall be the responsibility of the pharmacy technician training program. (c) Students enrolled in a Board-approved pharmacy technician training programs. A student enrolled in a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program must be registered as a pharmacy technician trainee or pharmacy technician prior to working in a pharmacy as part of the experiential component of the Board-approved pharmacy technician training program. (d) Review of accreditation standards. The Board shall review the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Accreditation Standard for Pharmacy Technician Training Programs periodically and whenever the Standard is revised. (e) Listing of Board-approved Pharmacy Technician Training Programs. The Board shall maintain a list of the pharmacy technician training programs approved by the Board and periodically publish this list in the minutes of the Board. If the Board determines that a training program does not meet or no longer meets any of the requirements set forth in this section, the training program will not be listed as a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program.

Source Note: The provisions of this §305.2 adopted to be effective March 7, 2001, 26 TexReg 1865; amended to be effective June 11, 2006, 31 TexReg 4641; amended to be effective September 7, 2008, 33 TexReg 7242