Which of the following activities can a certified pharmacy technician NOT perform?

A certified pharmacy technician plays a critical role in supporting pharmacists and facilitating various tasks; however, there are specific functions that they are not permitted to perform independently. Performing dispensing validation is one of those activities that require the professional judgment and expertise of a licensed pharmacist.

Dispensing validation involves verifying that the correct medication has been dispensed, which encompasses ensuring the accuracy of the prescription, checking for potential drug interactions, and confirming proper patient counseling has occurred. This process requires clinical knowledge and decision-making abilities that are outside the scope of practice for pharmacy technicians.

On the other hand, requesting refill authorizations, performing prescription transfers for controlled substances, and providing patient counseling, while they may have certain restrictions and guidelines to follow, can involve functions that certified pharmacy technicians are trained to carry out under the supervision of a pharmacist. Thus, there are established boundaries that delineate the responsibilities of pharmacy technicians from those of pharmacists, particularly when it comes to the responsibilities requiring clinical judgment.