NEW Pharmacy Technician Administrative Rules Promulgated

Only a few years ago, pharmacy tech was the first rung of the career ladder for doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and more.

You could get hired during high school, and train on the job. Under the pharmacist's license, you could work your way through college, counting pills and running the cash register.

Now, there is no bottom rung. Instead, you have this sort of state micromanagement:

December 7, 2023

The Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL) within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) would like to inform you that the new Pharmacy Technician Administrative Rules were effective as of October 2, 2023. A list of the notable changes is below. This is not intended to provide a comprehensive listing of all changes or current requirements. Licensees should review the rules and statute for a complete understanding of all applicable requirements.

The new rules require that:

• All pharmacy technician programs will require a review by 1 year after the rules are promulgated and thereafter every 5 years.
• The requirement for a minimum examination score was deleted and instead all Board-approved pharmacy technician examinations in this state will include a process for grading examinations that is reviewed by the Board.
• The Board will review comprehensive curriculum-based pharmacy technician education and training programs conducted by a community college.
• A student in a pharmacy technician program who is at least 16 years old may participate in practical hands-on training in a pharmacy.
• If the Department finds that a program is deficient, the Board will review the program to determine if Board approval should be withdrawn.
• Licensees may meet the pharmacy ethics and jurisprudence continuing education (CE) requirement by taking more than 1 course or program.
• A licensee may use the human trafficking training and implicit bias training toward the required 20 CE hours.
• A licensee will apply for a waiver of CE pursuant to the required time requirements instead of having their request reviewed after their renewal date.
• A licensee will be able to use CE earned up to the date of the filing of the renewal of their license toward the CE requirement even if earned during the 60-day grace period.
• The 5 hours of CE in live, synchronous, courses or programs may be earned in-person or virtual.
• A licensee may earn only 2 CE hours for the presentation of a CE program that is not a part of the licensee’s regular job description.
• The review of pharmacy technician CE courses and programs and pharmacist CE courses and programs will be the same.
• A pharmacy technician may qualify to perform final product verification by either acquiring 1,000 hours of work experience or attending training.
• A pharmacy technician will be allowed to work remotely in a limited capacity outside of the personal charge of a pharmacist.
• A limited pharmacy technician licensee may provide final product verification.
• The 1,000 hours required to provide final product verification may be acquired by a limited, temporary, full licensee, or a student.
• The requirement that a pharmacist is “fully responsible” for a remote technician’s practice and accuracy was deleted.

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Our office is diligently working on updating relative information on our website to reflect the revisions of the revised rules. For more information, please visit our website at www.michigan.gov/bpl.

Please send questions about the revised rules to BPLHELP@michigan.gov.

Thank you,
Bureau of Professional Licensing
Licensing Division
517-241-0199