Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) Practice Exam

All of the following duties may be performed by a pharmacy technician EXCEPT:

1. Requesting PHI from a patient such as date of birth, address, allergy, and insurance information

2. Selecting an OTC product for a patient

3. Inputting and updating patient information in the computer

4. Placing the medication in a vial and attaching the prescription label to it

The correct answer is: Selecting an OTC product for a patient

Selecting an over-the-counter (OTC) product for a patient involves professional judgment and an understanding of the patient's specific health needs, including potential interactions with other medications they may be taking. This task typically falls within the scope of practice for pharmacists, who are trained to assess a patient's health status and recommend appropriate medications. Pharmacy technicians, on the other hand, primarily assist pharmacists with tasks that do not require clinical assessment or professional discretion about medication selection. While they can provide information about OTC products, the recommendation or selection of these products is generally not considered a duty within their scope of practice. In contrast, requesting personal health information (PHI), inputting and updating patient information, and handling prescription medications are all tasks that pharmacy technicians are authorized to perform, supporting the workflow and operational needs of the pharmacy. These responsibilities do not involve the same level of professional assessment required for selecting an OTC product.