PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
(Board of Pharmacy)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-901-030 (3)(b) Technician education and training and 246-901-060(2) Technician certification--Establish board approved standardized examination for pharmacy technicians.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.64A.020 Rules--Qualifications and training programs.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The board of pharmacy has set education and training requirements for pharmacy technicians for over twenty-five years. Currently, pharmacy technician training programs use site-specific exams which vary widely in assessing a pharmacy technician's knowledge. The board is considering requiring successful completion of a standardized national examination, to demonstrate a technician's competency to practice, as a requirement for new applicants. A standardized exam would provide a consistent measure of the knowledge level of all pharmacy technicians, which would improve public health and safety.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making, mailings and public meetings.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Doreen Beebe, Washington State Board of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 47863, Olympia, WA 98504-7863, e-mail doreen.beebe@doh.wa.gov, phone (360) 236-4834 or fax (360) 586-4359.
Interested parties will have an opportunity to participate in the public rule-writing workshops and will be contacted by listserv and mailings. Interested parties may also submit written comments for consideration. Please contact Ms. Beebe to be added to the interested parties list and for information regarding public meetings related to this matter.
March 31, 2006
Steven Saxe
Executive Director