WASHINGTON —Today’s pharmacy technicians provide services as part of the pharmacy team, focused on quality and safety. As medication use becomes increasingly complex, pharmacists will spend more time in patient care activities, supported by competent pharmacy technicians. National standards support the education of competently trained pharmacy technicians, whose roles align with other health professions where assistants and technicians are trained through standards- based education.

National pharmacy organization members of the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCCP) have agreed to support “the adoption of national standards to ensure that pharmacy technician education consistently achieves quality outcomes.” Their statement of support adds, “In applying developed standards, accrediting bodies should allow for innovation and flexibility in program delivery.” The following organizations worked to draft the statement, and their boards have voted to support the adoption of national standards:

• Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)
• American College of Apothecaries (ACA)
• American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
• American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
• American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
• College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP)
• • Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA)
• National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA)
• • National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)