The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) have announced the creation of the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC), the product of a cooperative effort to accredit pharmacy technician education and training programs. The program is expected to begin in late 2014. The PTAC will conduct reviews and site surveys and will advise the ASHP and ACPE boards of directors, which will then agree on final accreditation actions.
ASHP has acted as an accreditor for pharmacy technician education and training programs since 1982, and has served as the only pharmacy profession programmatic accreditor for technician education and training programs. ACPE has accredited professional degree programs for pharmacists since its inception in 1932. ACPE’s experience with assuring the quality of pharmacy education is expected to help widen acceptance and demand for accredited training for pharmacy technicians. There are currently 258 programs in the ASHP accreditation process. ASHP will continue to accredit pharmacy technician programs until the PTAC officially begins its work in the fall of 2014.