Virginia Law

A. The selection of the controlled substance from the stock, any preparation or packaging of a controlled substance or the preparation of a label for a controlled substance to be transferred to a patient shall be the personal responsibility of the licensee.

1. Any compounding of a controlled substance shall be personally performed by the licensee or a registered pharmacy technician under the supervision of the licensee.

2. A licensee may supervise one person who may be present in the storage and selling area to assist in performance of pharmacy technician tasks, as set forth in § 54.1-3321 of the Code of Virginia, provided such person is not licensed to sell controlled substances and is either:

a. A pharmacy technician registered with the board; or

b. A licensed nurse or physician assistant who has received training in technician tasks consistent with training required for pharmacy technicians.

3. Unless using one of the board-approved training courses for pharmacy technicians, a licensee who uses a nurse or physician assistant to perform pharmacy technician tasks shall develop and maintain a training manual and shall document that such licensee has successfully completed general training in the following areas:

a. The entry of prescription information and drug history into a data system or other recordkeeping system;

b. The preparation of prescription labels or patient information;

c. The removal of the drug to be dispensed from inventory;

d. The counting or measuring of the drug to be dispensed to include pharmacy calculations;

e. The packaging and labeling of the drug to be dispensed and the repackaging thereof;

f. The stocking or loading of automated dispensing devices or other devices used in the dispensing process, if applicable; and

g. Applicable laws and regulations related to dispensing.

4. A licensee who employs or uses pharmacy technicians, licensed nurses or physician assistants to assist in the storage and selling area shall develop and maintain a site-specific training program and manual for training to work in that practice. The program shall include training consistent with that specific practice to include training in proper use of site-specific computer programs and equipment, proper use of other equipment used in the practice in performing technician duties, and pharmacy calculations consistent with the duties in that practice.

5. A licensee shall maintain documentation of successful completion of the site-specific training program for each pharmacy technician, nurse or physician assistant for the duration of the employment and for a period of two years from date of termination of employment. Documentation for currently employed persons shall be maintained on site or at another location where the records are readily retrievable upon request for inspection. After employment is terminated, such documentation may be maintained at an off-site location where it is retrievable upon request.

B. Prior to the dispensing, the licensee shall:

1. Conduct a prospective drug review and offer to counsel a patient in accordance with provisions of § 54.1-3319 of the Code of Virginia; and

2. Inspect the prescription product to verify its accuracy in all respects, and place his initials on the record of sale as certification of the accuracy of, and the responsibility for, the entire transaction.

C. If the record of sale is maintained in an automated data processing system as provided in 18VAC110-30-200, the licensee shall personally place his initials with each entry of a sale as a certification of the accuracy of, and the responsibility for, the entire transaction.