New profession of “pharmacy technician” should relieve pharmacists

The Knesset Health Committee approved for adoption by the Knesset in the second and third (final) readings an amendment to the Law on the Regulation of Medical Professions, creating a new profession: pharmacy technician (“technai be-beit mirkahat”).

In accordance with the legislative initiative, the technician will be engaged in administration and logistics, which will free up pharmacists and chemists for professional activities.

Israel currently lacks about a thousand pharmacists, and the workload of those who remain is very high. At the same time, a significant part of the work is occupied by administrative and logistical tasks.

A pharmacy technician is not a pharmacist, they will be involved in administrative, logistical and technical tasks, they will also be allowed to dilute suspensions and fill packages and dispense prescription and over-the-counter medications to patients. This job does not require a college degree.

It is worth noting that the chairman of the Pharmacists’ Union, Shmarya Galeli, spoke out against giving pharmacy technicians the authority to mix and pour medicines, since, according to him, these are purely pharmaceutical operations that require professional training and a significant amount of knowledge.