La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § LIII-507

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 3, March 20, 2024

Section LIII-507 - Continuing Education Program

A. The board, recognizing that professional competency is a safeguard for the health, safety, and welfare of the public, shall require continuing pharmacy education as a prerequisite for annual licensure renewal for pharmacists.

B. Definitions

1.ACPE-Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

2.CPE-continuing pharmacy education, a structured postgraduate educational program for pharmacists to enhance professional competence.

3.CPE Monitor-a collaborative service from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) that provides an electronic system for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to record and track their completed CPE activities.

4.CPE Unit-a standard of measurement adopted by the ACPE for the purpose of accreditation of CPE programs. One CPE unit is equivalent to 10 credit hours.

C. Requirements

1. A minimum of 1 1/2 ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or 15 hours, shall be required each year as a prerequisite for pharmacist licensure renewal. Of this number, no less than 3/10 ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or three hours, shall be acquired through live presentations, as designated by ACPE or the board. Alternatively, should a pharmacist choose to not acquire at least 3/10 ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or three hours, through live presentations, then he shall acquire an additional 5/10 ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or five hours, through any other acceptable method, over and above the minimum requirement, for a total of two ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or 20 hours.

2. Pharmacists shall maintain individual records of personal CPE activities with CPE Monitor and shall authorize the board's access to their file by recording their Louisiana pharmacist license number within that file, and shall present a copy of their CPE Monitor transcript when requested by the board.

3. When deemed appropriate and necessary by the board, some or all of the required number of hours may be mandated on specific subjects. When so deemed, the board shall notify all licensed pharmacists prior to the beginning of the year in which the CPE is required.

4. When deemed appropriate and necessary by the board, the number of hours to be acquired through live presentations as designated by ACPE or the board may be increased. When so deemed, the board shall notify all licensed pharmacists prior to the beginning of the year in which the CPE is required.

D. Compliance

1. Complete compliance with CPE rules is a prerequisite for pharmacist licensure renewal.

2. Non-compliance with the CPE requirements shall be considered a violation of R.S. 37:1241(A)(2), and shall constitute a basis for the board to refuse licensure renewal.

3. The failure to maintain an individual record of personal CPE activities, or falsification of CPE documents, shall be considered a violation of R.S. 37:1241(A)(22).

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LIII-507

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Pharmacy, LR 14:708 (October 1988), effective January 1, 1989, amended LR 23:1306 (October 1997), LR 29:2083 (October 2003), effective January 1, 2004, LR 33:1125 (June 2007), Amended by the Department of Health, Board of Pharmacy, LR 46569 (4/1/2020).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1182.