Difference Between Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology And Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy

There are two pharmacy related courses in Nigeria. They are pharmacy technicians and pharmaceutical technology. There is growing confusion as to what is the difference between a pharmacist, pharmacy technician and pharmaceutical technologist. Let us use this post to clear the air.

Pharmacy

A pharmacist is a professional trained to turn raw material into drugs (medicine), distribute, store, dispense, counsel patients on the drug use including follow up. They work in the industry, community pharmacy, hospital, drug regulatory agency, government department, research institute, etc.

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Pharmacists are trained in the university under five to six departments. The department includes clinical pharmacy, pharmacognosy, pharmacology (toxicology), pharmaceutical microbiology, pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical technology (pharmaceutics). This leads to the award of bachelor of pharmacy (B Pharm) after five years or doctor of pharmacy (Pharm D) after six years.

Pharmaceutical Technology

Pharmaceutical technology is an engineering course concerned with transformation of raw material into valuable drugs by chemical, biochemical or physical process. They are involved in the conception, designs, construction and operation of industrial plants in which the above process takes place, increasingly with design at the molecular scale being more and more significant. They work as lecturers, in research institutes and government departments.

Pharmaceutical technologist are trained in the polytechnic. The course curriculum is the same as the curriculum in the pharmacy department of pharmaceutical technology (pharmaceutics). This they do under five years in polytechnic or four years in university. They work under the supervision of a pharmacist. A pharmaceutical technologist cannot and should not be called a pharmacist. They only studied part of the pharmacy curriculum.

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No university in Nigeria currently has pharmaceutical technology. Unfortunately, the polytechnics in Nigeria are trying to add more curriculum to make it look like a pharmacy. They end up calling themselves pharmacists.

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians are trained to assist pharmacists in their day to day work. They are mostly found in the hospital and community pharmacy. They may be found in other areas too such as research institutes, drug regulatory agencies, government departments, etc under the supervision of a pharmacist. They work closely with pharmacists and rely on the pharmacist for guidance. For example, a pharmacy technician fills in the prescription while the pharmacist dispenses and counsels.

Read Also: How to become a pharm tech

Most countries around the world don't require certificates to become a pharmacy technician. They are trained by the pharmacist. Some countries organise a certification examination for those who have been trained. However, to become a pharmacy technician in Nigeria, you must study pharmacy technician in an approved school or college of health technology.

Pharmacy technicians require 3 years of study. The course curriculum ranges from pharmacy law, ethics, medication dosage, prescription interpretation, calculation, administration and others. This training includes how to keep patients' information private, fill prescriptions, handle insurance programmes, record keeping, etc. This leads to the award of an ordinary national diploma (OND) in pharmacy technician.