Recognizing Pharmacy Technicians as Regulated Professionals

Pharmacy technicians are essential members of Alberta’s healthcare system.  More importantly, they are regulated health professionals with their own scope of practice, standards, professional judgment, and accountability to the public.

Throughout my 24 years in pharmacy, including frontline practice, management, regional leadership, professional affairs, healthcare operations, and independent rural pharmacy, I have seen the skill, professionalism, and responsibility that pharmacy technicians bring to patient care.

I have also seen significant differences in how the technician role is understood and used across practice environments.

My platform is focused on regulation that is clear, fair, consistent, evidence-informed, and workable in real practice.

For pharmacy technicians, this begins with ensuring that standards properly recognize their distinct professional responsibilities.  Technician practice should not be treated simply as an extension of the pharmacist’s role or confused with the valuable but different role of a pharmacy assistant.

When technicians are professionally accountable for technical functions and decisions, they must also have the clarity and authority necessary to carry out those responsibilities safely.

Consistency in practice site assessments is also important.  Technicians should clearly understand how standards apply to their own practice.  Assessment expectations should be consistent, and feedback should distinguish between the responsibilities of pharmacists, technicians, licensees, proprietors, and other members of the pharmacy team.

Clear expectations reduce uncertainty and allow regulated members to focus on quality improvement and safe patient care.

Before expanding technician scope, we should ensure that pharmacy technicians are consistently able to practise to the full scope they already have.

This requires clear expectations, appropriate workflows, better understanding of technician responsibilities, and meaningful recognition of the difference between regulated and unregulated roles.

There should also be thoughtful consideration of how technician scope may evolve.  Opportunities such as injection authority and other expanded responsibilities deserve serious, evidence-informed review.

Any expansion should include appropriate education, demonstrated competence, clear accountability, implementation support, and meaningful consultation with pharmacy technicians working in different practice settings.

The objective should be straightforward: remove unnecessary barriers while maintaining the safeguards required to protect the public.

Technology, automation, and artificial intelligence will continue to change pharmacy practice.

When implemented responsibly, these tools can improve workflow, reduce administrative burden, and support technicians in carrying out increasingly complex technical and quality-related responsibilities.

Technology should strengthen professional practice, not diminish technician judgment, blur accountability, or introduce unnecessary risks for patients.

ACP Council governs in the public interest and does not represent a particular profession, employer, or business model.  However, good governance requires Council to understand how its decisions affect the regulated professionals responsible for implementing them.

Pharmacy technicians should be meaningfully involved in discussions affecting their standards, scope, assessments, and future practice.

If elected, I will listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, examine the evidence, and work to ensure that regulatory decisions recognize both the professional responsibilities and the practical realities of pharmacy technicians across Alberta.

Public protection is strengthened when every regulated member is able to practise competently, confidently, and accountably.

I would be honoured to have your support and your vote.

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Ali Damani
Candidate for ACP Pharmacist Councillor 5

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