Pharmacy technician students are not registered with the College. Can they accept verbal prescriptions or authorize prescription transfers? 

Yes. Federal regulations authorize pharmacy technicians to accept verbal prescriptions and to transfer prescriptions for drugs on the Prescription Drug List. These regulations define pharmacy technician as a person who is registered or otherwise entitled under the laws of a province to practise pharmacy and is practising in that province.

In Ontario, students enrolled in a pharmacy technician education program can practice pharmacy under the supervision of a Part A pharmacist without being registered because of an exception in the Regulated Health Professions Act. Since they meet the definition of pharmacy technician for the purposes of the regulations, they can accept verbal prescriptions and transfer prescriptions.

Pharmacy technicians, pharmacy technician students, and intern technicians cannot perform either of these activities for prescriptions for controlled substances (narcotics, controlled drugs, and benzodiazepines & other targeted substances).

For a summary of the legislation, refer to the Legal Scope of Practice & Authorized Acts chart.