Code Section

4115.  

(a) A pharmacy technician may perform packaging, manipulative, repetitive, or other nondiscretionary tasks only while assisting, and while under the direct supervision and control of, a pharmacist. The pharmacist shall be responsible for the duties performed under their supervision by a technician.

(b) (1) In addition to the tasks specified in subdivision (a) a pharmacy technician may, under the direct supervision and control of a pharmacist, prepare and administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines via injection or intranasally, prepare and administer epinephrine, perform specimen collection for tests that are classified as waived under CLIA, receive prescription transfers, and accept clarification on prescriptions under the following conditions:

(A) The pharmacy has scheduled another pharmacy technician to assist the pharmacist by performing the tasks provided in subdivision (a).

(B) The pharmacy technician is certified pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 4202 and maintains that certification.

(C) The pharmacy technician has successfully completed at least six hours of practical training approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and includes hands-on injection technique, the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines, and an assessment of the pharmacy technician’s injection technique.

(D) The pharmacy technician is certified in basic life support.

(2) “CLIA” means the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 263a; Public Law 100-578).

(c) This section does not authorize the performance of any tasks specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) by a pharmacy technician without a pharmacist on duty.

(d) This section does not authorize a pharmacy technician to perform any act requiring the exercise of professional judgment by a pharmacist.

(e) The board shall adopt regulations to specify tasks pursuant to subdivision (a) that a pharmacy technician may perform under the supervision of a pharmacist. Any pharmacy that employs a pharmacy technician shall do so in conformity with the regulations adopted by the board.

(f) A person shall not act as a pharmacy technician without first being licensed by the board as a pharmacy technician.

(g) (1) A pharmacy with only one pharmacist shall have no more than one pharmacy technician performing the tasks specified in subdivision (a). A pharmacy with only one pharmacist shall have no more than one pharmacy technician performing the tasks specified in subdivision (b). If a pharmacy technician is performing the tasks specified in subdivision (b), a second pharmacy technician shall be assisting a pharmacist with performing tasks specified in subdivision (a). The ratio of pharmacy technicians performing the tasks specified in subdivision (a) to any additional pharmacist shall not exceed 2:1, except that this ratio shall not apply to personnel performing clerical functions pursuant to Section 4116 or 4117. This ratio is applicable to all practice settings, except for an inpatient of a licensed health facility, a patient of a licensed home health agency, as specified in paragraph (2), an inmate of a correctional facility of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and for a person receiving treatment in a facility operated by the State Department of State Hospitals, the State Department of Developmental Services, or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(2) The board may adopt regulations establishing the ratio of pharmacy technicians performing the tasks specified in subdivision (a) to pharmacists applicable to the filling of prescriptions of an inpatient of a licensed health facility and for a patient of a licensed home health agency. Any ratio established by the board pursuant to this subdivision shall allow, at a minimum, at least one pharmacy technician for a single pharmacist in a pharmacy and two pharmacy technicians for each additional pharmacist, except that this ratio shall not apply to personnel performing clerical functions pursuant to Section 4116 or 4117.

(3) A pharmacist scheduled to supervise a second pharmacy technician may refuse to supervise a second pharmacy technician if the pharmacist determines, in the exercise of their professional judgment, that permitting the second pharmacy technician to be on duty would interfere with the effective performance of the pharmacist’s responsibilities under this chapter. A pharmacist assigned to supervise a second pharmacy technician shall notify the pharmacist-in-charge in writing of their determination, specifying the circumstances of concern with respect to the pharmacy or the pharmacy technician that have led to the determination, within a reasonable period, but not to exceed 24 hours, after the posting of the relevant schedule. An entity employing a pharmacist shall not discharge, discipline, or otherwise discriminate against any pharmacist in the terms and conditions of employment for exercising or attempting to exercise in good faith the right established pursuant to this paragraph.

(h) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, the board shall by regulation establish conditions to permit the temporary absence of a pharmacist for breaks and lunch periods pursuant to Section 512 of the Labor Code and the orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission without closing the pharmacy. During these temporary absences, a pharmacy technician may, at the discretion of the pharmacist, remain in the pharmacy but may only perform nondiscretionary tasks. The pharmacist shall be responsible for a pharmacy technician and shall review any task performed by a pharmacy technician during the pharmacist’s temporary absence. This subdivision shall not be construed to authorize a pharmacist to supervise pharmacy technicians in greater ratios than those described in subdivision (g).

(i) The pharmacist on duty shall be directly responsible for the conduct of a pharmacy technician supervised by that pharmacist.

(j) In a health care facility licensed under subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, a pharmacy technician’s duties may include any of the following:

(1) Packaging emergency supplies for use in the health care facility and the hospital’s emergency medical system or as authorized under Section 4119.

(2) Sealing emergency containers for use in the health care facility.

(3) Performing monthly checks of the drug supplies stored throughout the health care facility. Irregularities shall be reported within 24 hours to the pharmacist-in-charge and the director or chief executive officer of the health care facility in accordance with the health care facility’s policies and procedures.