The legislation, signed this week by Gov. Charlie Crist, requires the Florida Board of Pharmacy to adopt registration rules for the state's estimated 40,000 to 60,000 pharmacy technicians by 2010.

Starting in 2011, pharmacy technician applicants in Florida also will be required to have satisfied one of three training standards: completion of an instructional program expected to be drafted by the state pharmacy board; 1,500 hours of work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist; or certification under a nationally accredited program.

"We feel this is a landmark piece of legislation," said Michael McQuone, executive vice president of the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists, a professional organization that pressed for the changes. "It's an important new safety measure."

The approval adds Florida to a roster of nearly 40 states that require some combination of registration, certification or training for pharmacy technicians. The new Florida law covers the pharmacy employees who increasingly handle work once done by pharmacists, including typing prescription data, counting pills and filling drug vials.

Walgreens, CVS and other pharmacy firms challenged earlier versions of the legislation, McQuone said. Working through the Florida Retail Federation, the firms lobbied state lawmakers over specific training requirements for pharmacy technicians, said McQuone.

"We were actively involved in the negotiation process for the final language of this bill to ensure that … the state board of pharmacy would have the power to approve our technician training program, a program that has been approved by many other state boards," said CVS spokesman Michael DeAngelis.

Walgreens did not oppose the final version of the legislation, said company spokesman Michael Polzin. He said the chain's corporate training program for pharmacy technicians, already approved by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, "will meet the new requirement."

McQuone credited a February USA TODAY series of stories that focused on pharmacy safety issues, including the increased responsibilities pharmacies have placed on technicians, with helping win approval of the new law.

The "articles made quite an impact," he said, adding, "we used the information quite effectively."

Still, McQuone said a new battle, to ensure the Florida Board of Pharmacy drafts stringent training requirements, "is just beginning."

Would you like to comment on this story? CLICK HERE 

Original Link