Subdivision 1. General. A pharmacy technician may assist a pharmacist in the practice of pharmacy by performing tasks that are not reserved to, and do not require the professional judgment of, a licensed pharmacist. A pharmacy technician works under the personal and direct supervision of the pharmacist. A pharmacist may supervise up to three technicians. A pharmacist is responsible for all the work performed by the technicians who are under the supervision of the pharmacist. A pharmacy may exceed the ratio of pharmacy technicians to pharmacists permitted in this subdivision or in rule by a total of one technician at any given time in the pharmacy, provided at least one technician in the pharmacy holds a valid certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or from another national certification body for pharmacy technicians that requires passage of a nationally recognized, psychometrically valid certification examination for certification as determined by the Board of Pharmacy. The Board of Pharmacy may, by rule, set ratios of technicians to pharmacists greater than three to one for the functions specified in rule.

Subd. 2. Waivers by board permitted. A pharmacist in charge in a pharmacy may petition the board for authorization to allow a pharmacist to supervise more than three pharmacy technicians. The pharmacist's petition must include provisions addressing how patient care and safety will be maintained. A petition filed with the board under this subdivision shall be deemed approved 90 days after the board receives the petition, unless the board denies the petition within 90 days of receipt and notifies the petitioning pharmacist of the petition's denial and the board's reasons for denial.

Subd. 3. Registration fee. The board shall not register an individual as a pharmacy technician unless all applicable fees specified in section 151.065 have been paid.

History: 1997 c 132 s 3; 1999 c 63 s 1; 2000 c 276 s 1; 1Sp2011 c 9 art 5 s 20; 2015 c 71 art 10 s 33