Pharmacy law glossary

The CPJE is California's own law and practice-standards exam, required for pharmacist licensure in the state instead of the multistate MPJE. California and Arkansas are the two states that use a state-specific exam rather than the MPJE.

eLTP is NABP's electronic system for transferring a pharmacist's verified licensure and examination history from one state board to another when applying for a new state license.

FPGEC is a certification process that verifies whether a pharmacy degree earned outside the United States is equivalent to a U.S. pharmacy education, allowing the holder to pursue U.S. licensure.

Intern hours are the supervised, practical hours a pharmacy student or graduate must accumulate under a licensed pharmacist before becoming eligible for full licensure.

License reciprocity is the process by which a pharmacist licensed in one state can obtain a license in another state by transferring their credentials, rather than repeating the full original licensure process.

License reinstatement is the process a pharmacist follows to restore an expired, lapsed, or suspended pharmacy license back to active status.

The MPJE is a computer-adaptive law exam that tests a candidate's knowledge of pharmacy law, used by most state boards of pharmacy as a licensure requirement alongside the NAPLEX.

The NABP e-Profile is a pharmacist's personal account with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, used to manage exam registration, licensure transfers, and CPE tracking in one place.

The NAPLEX is the national exam that measures a candidate's clinical and scientific competency to practice pharmacy, required for licensure in every U.S. state.

A non-resident pharmacy license is a permit that allows a pharmacy located in one state to ship, mail, or deliver prescriptions to patients in another state where it is not physically located.

The PLIC is a multistate agreement that allows a pharmacist licensed in one member state to practice in other member states without obtaining a separate full license in each one.

A preceptor is a licensed pharmacist who supervises and evaluates a pharmacy student or intern during hands-on practical training.

503A and 503B refer to two distinct legal categories of drug compounding facilities under federal law, each with different oversight, scale, and prescription requirements.

A beyond-use date is the point after which a compounded preparation should no longer be used, based on stability, sterility, and storage conditions rather than manufacturer expiration testing.

A central fill pharmacy is a centralized facility that fills prescriptions in bulk on behalf of other retail pharmacies, which then verify and hand the medication to the patient.

A compounded sterile preparation is a medication prepared under sterile conditions, such as an injectable or eye drop, that must be free of microbial contamination before it reaches a patient.

Extralabel drug use refers to using an approved drug in a manner not specified on its official labeling, most often discussed in the context of veterinary pharmacy practice.

USP 795 is a professional standard that outlines expectations for compounding nonsterile pharmaceutical preparations, covering areas like facilities, equipment, and quality practices.

USP 797 is a professional standard covering the compounding of sterile pharmaceutical preparations, addressing areas like cleanroom design, personnel training, and quality checks meant to reduce contamination risk.

USP 800 is a national compounding standard covering how pharmacies handle, store, prepare, and dispose of hazardous drugs to limit exposure to pharmacy staff and others.

A wholesale drug distributor is a licensed entity that sells or distributes prescription drugs to entities other than the ultimate patient, such as pharmacies, hospitals, or other distributors.

Biosimilar interchangeability is a federal designation that determines whether a pharmacist may substitute a biosimilar for its reference biologic product without prescriber sign-off, subject to state-level rules.

CDTM is a regulatory framework that lets a pharmacist manage a patient's drug therapy under a formal agreement with a prescriber, within limits set by state law.

A CLIA waiver is a federal certificate that permits a testing site, including a pharmacy, to perform simple, low-complexity laboratory tests.

A Collaborative Practice Agreement is a formal, signed arrangement between a pharmacist and a prescriber that defines the scope of clinical activities the pharmacist may perform for shared patients.

An emergency refill is a limited quantity a pharmacist may dispense without prescriber authorization when a patient needs continuity of therapy and a refill cannot be obtained in time.

Immunization authority is the state-granted permission for a pharmacist to administer vaccines, including which vaccines, to whom, and what training or protocol is required.

Point-of-care testing is diagnostic testing performed at or near the patient, rather than sent to a separate lab, and pharmacies are an increasingly common site for it.

Prescriptive authority is the legal power to initiate, modify, or continue drug therapy, which some states extend to pharmacists in defined circumstances.

Scope of practice is the set of clinical and dispensing activities a pharmacist is legally permitted to perform, as defined by the state where they are licensed and practicing.

A standing order is a pre-authorized, standardized protocol — often issued at the state level — that lets pharmacists provide certain drugs or services to eligible patients without an individual prescription.

Test-and-treat authority lets a pharmacist administer a point-of-care test and, based on the result, initiate treatment under a state-defined protocol.

Therapeutic substitution is the practice of dispensing a different but clinically related drug in place of the one prescribed, under authority a pharmacist must have before doing so.

The 340B Program lets certain safety-net healthcare providers purchase outpatient drugs at reduced prices, and pharmacies that participate must follow specific compliance rules.

ACPE is the national body that accredits pharmacy degree programs and approves continuing education activities pharmacists use to maintain their license.

CPE Monitor is the national tracking system pharmacists and pharmacy technicians use to record completed continuing pharmacy education credit for license renewal.

DEA registration is the federal authorization that lets a pharmacy or pharmacist handle controlled substances, issued separately from state pharmacist licensure.

A formulary is a list of drugs that a health plan, PBM, or institution has agreed to cover or stock, and it directly shapes what a pharmacist can dispense under a given plan.

An NPI is a unique federal identification number assigned to healthcare providers, including pharmacists and pharmacies, used for billing and identification across the healthcare system.

A PBM is a third-party company that manages prescription drug benefits for insurers and employers, shaping which drugs are covered and how pharmacies get reimbursed.

A PDMP is a state-run database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions, which pharmacists may be required to query or report to as part of dispensing.

Specialty pharmacy accreditation is a voluntary third-party certification confirming a pharmacy meets elevated standards for handling complex, high-cost specialty medications.

A formal report filed with a state Board of Pharmacy alleging that a pharmacist, technician, or pharmacy violated licensing law or practice standards.

A state government agency that licenses pharmacists and pharmacies and enforces the rules governing pharmacy practice within that state.

A formal sanction a state Board of Pharmacy imposes on a license after finding that a pharmacist or pharmacy violated licensing law or practice standards.

A program that allows patients to safely dispose of unused or expired medications, often through collection at a pharmacy or other authorized location.

Liability coverage that helps protect a pharmacist financially if a patient claims harm resulted from a professional error, such as a dispensing mistake.

The established relationship between a veterinarian, an animal owner, and the animal patient that must exist before a veterinarian can prescribe medication for the animal.

A formal exception that lets a licensee request extra time or a reduced continuing education requirement due to a qualifying personal circumstance.

Ongoing coursework that licensed pharmacists must complete on a recurring basis to keep their license active and in good standing.

The maximum number of pharmacy technicians a single pharmacist is permitted to oversee at one time under a given state's rules.

A credential earned by passing a national exam that verifies a pharmacy technician's foundational knowledge, often required or recognized alongside state registration.

The recurring period during which a pharmacist or technician must complete requirements and submit paperwork to keep an active license or certification in good standing.