45:14-54 Continuing pharmacy education.

15. a. The board shall require each person registered as a pharmacist, as a condition for biennial renewal certification, to complete continuing pharmacy education during each biennial period immediately preceding the date of renewal and submit proof thereof to the board.

b. The board shall:

(1) Establish standards for continuing pharmacy education, including the number of credits, the subject matter and content of courses of study, the selection of instructors and the type of continuing education credits required of a registered pharmacist as a condition of biennial registration;

(2) Approve educational programs offering credit towards continuing pharmacy education requirements; and

(3) Approve other equivalent educational programs, including, but not limited to, home study courses, and establish procedures for the issuance of credit upon satisfactory proof of the completion of these programs. In the case of continuing education courses and programs, each hour of instruction shall be equivalent to one credit.

c. (1) The board shall only approve programs that are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis. The board shall permit any pharmacy association or organization offering a continuing pharmacy education program approved by the board pursuant to subsection b. of this section to impose a reasonable differential in registration fees for courses upon registered pharmacists who are not members of that pharmacy association or organization. The board may approve programs held within or outside the State.

(2) In no event shall the board grant credits for, or approve as, a component of a continuing education program:

(a) participation in a routine business portion of a meeting of a pharmacy association or organization; or

(b) any presentation that is offered to sell a product or promote a business enterprise.

d. (1) The board may, in its discretion, waive requirements for continuing education on an individual basis for reasons of hardship, such as illness or disability, retirement of the registration certificate, or any other good cause.

(2) The board shall not require completion of continuing education credits for an initial renewal of registration.

(3) If a pharmacist completes a number of continuing education credit hours in excess of the number required for a biennial period, the board may allow, by rule or regulation, credits to be carried over to satisfy the pharmacist's continuing education requirement for the next biennial renewal period, but shall not be applicable thereafter.

L.2003,c.280,s.15.