657—3.5 (155A) Certification of pharmacy technicians. Except as provided in rule 657—3.6(155A) or subrule 3.5(3), effective July 1, 2010, all pharmacy technicians shall be required to be nationally certified as provided by this rule. National certification does not replace the need for licensed pharmacist control over the performance of delegated functions, nor does national certification exempt the pharmacy technician from registration pursuant to these rules.
	 3.5(1) Certification prior to July 1, 2010. An individual who holds a valid current national certification from the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT) or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and who acquired such certification prior to July 1, 2010, shall be deemed to have met the requirement for national certification beginning July 1, 2010, provided the certification is maintained in current standing.
	 3.5(2) Required certification effective July 1, 2010. Beginning July 1, 2010, national certification acquired through successful completion of any NCCA-accredited pharmacy technician certification program and examination fulfills the requirement for national certification.
	 3.5(3) Pharmacy technician trainee. Except as provided in rule 657—3.6(155A), effective July 1, 2009, a person who is in the process of acquiring national certification as a pharmacy technician shall register with the board as a pharmacy technician trainee. The registration shall be issued for a period of one year and shall not be renewed.
	 3.5(4) Certified pharmacy technician. Beginning July 1, 2010, all applicants for a new pharmacy technician registration except as provided by subrule 3.5(3), and all applicants for renewal of a pharmacy technician registration except as provided in rule 657—3.6(155A), shall provide proof of current national pharmacy technician certification and shall complete the application for certified pharmacy technician registration.
[ARC 8673B, IAB 4/7/10, effective 6/1/10; ARC 9009B, IAB 8/11/10, effective 7/23/10]