Registration and certification of pharmacy technicians

(a) No person shall act as a pharmacy technician unless registered with, or certified with, the department, except an individual who is enrolled in an accredited pharmacy technician education program may engage in the duties of a pharmacy technician, as part of the curriculum of such program, under the direct supervision of a pharmacist who is an instructor for such program. (b) The department shall register as a pharmacy technician any person who presents evidence satisfactory to the department that such person is qualified to perform, under the supervision of a pharmacist, routine functions in the dispensing of drugs that do not require the use of professional judgment. The qualifications for registration as a pharmacy technician under this section shall be in accordance with (1) the standards of an institutional pharmacy, a care-giving institution or a correctional or juvenile training institution, in the case of employment in any such pharmacy or institution, or (2) the standards established by regulation adopted by the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, in the case of employment in a pharmacy. (c) The department shall certify as a pharmacy technician any person who meets the requirements for registration as a pharmacy technician, pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, and who holds a certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or any other equivalent pharmacy technician certification program approved by the department. (d) The fee required by section 20-601 shall accompany an application for registration under this section. A registration as a pharmacy technician shall be valid for one year and may be renewed upon application and payment of the fee required by section 20-601.