Drug Topics - March 10, 2008 - (Page 24) 24 DRUG TOPICS MARCH 10, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Community Practice Technician numbers are on the rise nationwide Pharmacists by practice setting Reid Paul he ranks of pharmacy technicians are growing at more than twice the rate of pharmacists, according to the 2008 National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Survey of Pharmacy Law. The survey includes statistical data on the number of licenses and certifications granted by state boards of pharmacy and detailed information about pharmacy regulations and policies in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Between July 2006 and July 2007, the number of technicians jumped 12.7% to 284,421. During the same period, the number of licensed pharmacists increased at a more modest rate—4.5%—reaching 392,097. Because many pharmacists are licensed to practice in more than one state, NABP also tracks the number of pharmacists with in-state addresses to provide a clearer picture of the number of licensed pharmacists. The number of in-state licensed pharmacists grew at a similar rate: 4.1% to 264,960. California once again led the way in reliance on technicians. While the number of pharmacists grew by only 3.4% between the 2007 and 2008 surveys, the number of technicians grew by 28% as the state added more than 11,000 technicians in a single year. As in previous years, the growth has not been evenly distributed across the country. States such as Delaware, Idaho, New Mexico, and Vermont reported modest losses in the number of pharmacists. Idaho, New Mexico, and Vermont also reported losses in the number of technicians (Delaware does not track techs). Arkansas T 20% 1% 6% 56% 17% Community Hospital Source: NABP Manufacturing/wholesale Teaching/govt Other Number of R.Ph. licenses granted 450 400 Licenses (in thousands) 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 2005 2006 Year 2007 2008 Source: NABP also registered a loss in pharmacy technicians. The actual number of technicians is likely to be much higher. In the 2008 survey, 17 boards of pharmacy did not track the number of technicians. That, however, may be changing, according to Carmen Catizone, executive director of NABP. “Pharmacy boards are recognizing that certification does have a value in helping relieve pharmacists from some activities,” he explained. “Also, many patients have an aversion to untrained technicians. States that don’t move are going to find themselves in a predicament. If they don’t do it themselves, it is going to be mandated.” The number of pharmacies edged up slightly during the period to 85,300, a gain of less than 1%. The number of independent community pharmacies dropped by 199, while the number of chain and hospital pharmacies increased only slightly. The bulk of the increase came from the out-of-state or non-resident pharmacy category. According to the 2007 NCPA-Pfizer Digest, which analyzed data on independent pharmacies during 2006, the ranks of independent pharmacies saw a more precipitous decline. NCPA reported that the number of community pharmacies dropped by more than 1,100 to 23,348. The two studies covered overlapping, but not identical, time periods, and did not use the same criteria for defining independent community pharmacy. A majority of pharmacists (56%) continue to work in community settings. Another 17% of pharmacists work in hospitals, followed by 6% in manufacturing and 1% in academia. The remaining 20% work in other undefined settings. DT http://www.drugtopics.com
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