Alabama Administrative Code › Title 680 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY › Chapter 680-X-2 - PRACTICE OF PHARMACY › Section 680-X-2-.36 - Continuing Education For Pharmacists

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Pharmacists shall complete thirty (30)
			 hours of continuing education each renewal cycle as a condition of licensure
			 renewal. By submitting the biennial renewal, a pharmacist is representing their
			 compliance with this requirement by the end of the relevant renewal
			 cycle.
(2) Section (1) shall not
			 apply to pharmacists applying for the first renewal of their license. If a
			 pharmacist has only been licensed for one full calendar year, they shall
			 complete fifteen (15) hours of continuing education for the first renewal of
			 their license. If a pharmacist has been licensed for less than one full
			 calendar year, no continuing education is required for the first renewal of
			 their license.
(3) In order to
			 receive credit for continuing education, the continuing education shall be
			 previously approved by the Board. Any requests for approval of continuing
			 education shall be submitted to the Board no less than thirty (30) calendar
			 days prior to offering of the continuing education. A condition of approval
			 shall be that the continuing education is pertinent to the practice of
			 pharmacy. However, this requirement shall not apply to ACPE or ACCME approved
			 continuing education courses for which a program number is available.
(4) Continuing Education may be completed by
			 either attendance or by distance-based program, video or by publications;
			 however, a pharmacist must complete at least six (6) hours of live continuing
			 education through attendance at a course(s), within the renewal cycle. If a
			 pharmacist has only been licensed for one full calendar year, they must
			 complete at least three (3) hours of live continuing education.
(5) It is the responsibility of each
			 pharmacist to maintain and compile accurate records relating to all continuing
			 education courses or activities they have attended and completed. It shall be
			 the responsibility of each pharmacist to maintain above-described documentation
			 and information pertaining to each year for a period of two (2) years and this
			 information shall be submitted to the Board of Pharmacy within thirty (30)
			 calendar days after a request for the same by the Board.
(6) The Board of Pharmacy shall randomly
			 audit the continuing education documentation or information to be maintained or
			 submitted by each pharmacist as described herein to assure compliance with
			 these rules. Failure to maintain the documentation or information set forth in
			 these rules or the submission of false or misleading information or
			 documentation to the Board of Pharmacy or failure to submit requested
			 documentation or information within the time specified by the Board may subject
			 the pharmacist, on the first violation to a non-disciplinary administrative
			 penalty authorized by
Code of Ala. 1975
, §
								34-23-33(b) an
			 amount not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or more than two hundred
			 fifty dollars ($250.00) as determined by the board.
(7) Upon written request to the Board of
			 Pharmacy, and upon the demonstration of good and sufficient cause, the Board of
			 Pharmacy may grant a waiver or extension of time for the completion of the
			 annual hour requirements for continuing education as set forth herein. The
			 pharmacist who seeks such a waiver or extension shall submit to the Board of
			 Pharmacy any documentation required by the Board which the Board deems
			 appropriate for it to make a decision concerning that waiver or
			 extension.
(8) Any pharmacist who
			 allows their license to lapse for a minimum of one (1) calendar year but not
			 more than five (5) calendar years, shall be required as a condition for
			 reinstatement to provide documentation of their completion of fifteen (15)
			 hours of continuing education in the manner prescribed above for each lapsed
			 calendar year. If a license is lapsed for more than five (5) calendar years, in
			 addition to the examination requirement set forth in
Code of Ala.
			 1975
, §
								34-23-52, the Board may require as
			 a condition for reinstatement any amount of continuing education deemed
			 appropriate.
Author:
Donna C. Yeatman, R.Ph., Executive
				  Secretary
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
				  1975
, §
										34-23-92.