Section 1330.230  Continuing Education (“CE”) for Certified Pharmacy Technicians

a)         CE Requirements

1)         Number of Hours of CE Required

A)        Each person who applies for renewal of a license as a certified pharmacy technician shall complete 10 hours of CE during the 12 months preceding the expiration date of the license, in accordance with Section 9.5 of the Act.

B)        A renewal applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal after original licensure.

2)         Required Topics for CE

A)        At least one hour of continuing pharmacy education must be on the subject of pharmacy laws, pharmacy rules and ethics;

B)        At least one hour of continuing pharmacy education must be on the subject of patient safety; and

C)        Any other applicable CE requirements under 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.

b)         Approved CE

1)         The completion of courses offered by providers approved by the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education or another standardized nationally approved education program approved by the Department, may be completed outside the State of Illinois are approved CE courses.

2)         The pharmacist-in-charge and the certified pharmacy technician must maintain records showing proof of training that constituted the pharmacy technician's CE.

c)         Certification of CE Requirements

1)         Each renewal applicant shall certify on the renewal application full compliance with CE requirements set forth in this Part.

2)         The Division may require additional evidence demonstrating compliance with the CE requirements (e.g., certificates of attendance, certificates of completion, course registration). It is the responsibility of each renewal applicant to retain or otherwise produce evidence of the compliance.  Evidence shall be required in the context of the Division's random audit in accordance with Section 9.5 of the Act.

d)         The same CE hours cannot be used to fulfill the CE requirement for more than one renewal period.

e)         Waiver of CE Requirements

1)         Any renewal applicant seeking to renew their license without having fully complied with these CE requirements shall file with the Division a renewal application, along with the required fee, a statement setting forth the facts concerning noncompliance and a request for waiver of the CE requirements with facts explaining the basis of the request. A request for waiver shall be made prior to the renewal date. If the Division, upon the written recommendation of the Board, finds from the affidavit or any other evidence submitted that good cause has been shown for granting a waiver, the Division shall waive enforcement of the CE requirements for the renewal period for which the applicant has applied.

2)         Good cause shall be defined as an inability to fulfill the CE requirements during the applicable period because of:

A)        Full-time service in the armed forces of the United States of America during the applicable period; or

B)        Extreme hardship, which shall be determined on an individual basis by the Board and shall be limited to documentation of:

i)          An incapacitating illness, documented by a currently licensed physician;

ii)         Physical inability to travel to the sites of approved programs, as documented by a currently licensed physician; or

iii)        Any other similar extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness of a family member).

3)         If a renewal applicant requests an interview before the Board at the time the waiver request is submitted, the Board shall not deny the waiver request before an interview is conducted.  The renewal applicant requesting a waiver shall be given at least 20 days written notice of the date, time, and place of the interview by mail or email.

4)         Any renewal applicant who submits a request for waiver pursuant to subsection (e)(1) shall be deemed to be in good standing until the final Division decision on the application has been made.

(Source:  Added at 47 Ill. Reg. 8352, effective June 2, 2023)