TAMPA, Fla. — The Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board (SPCB) has established policies for the Certified Specialty Pharmacist (CSP) credential.
SPCB said the criteria cover code of conduct, eligibility requirements, recertification requirements and fees.
"Specialty pharmacists are responsible for maintaining medications that are often crucial for a patient’s life," SPCB director Nick Calla, vice president of industry relations for the Community Specialty Pharmacy Network, said in a statement. "Certified Specialty Pharmacists have an ethical obligation to serve their patients while advocating for their profession and managing pharmacy products and services in a fiscally responsible manner."
SPCB noted that it reviewed a range of sources, including position statements published by a variety of pharmacy associations, to develop the CSP Code of Conduct. All applicants must agree to the code as a condition of certification and recertification, and violation of any part of the code may result in disciplinary action.
Candidates must also meet the recently approved eligibility requirements to ensure they have the necessary knowledge, education and skill to provide specialty pharmacy service, SPCB said.
Eligibility requirements for the CSP exam include a BSPharm, RPh or PharmD; a current, active Rx license in good standing the United States; no prior history of felony records or state board suspensions; 3,000 hours of specialty pharmacy practice experience in the previous three years; code of conduct attestation; and a passing score on the CSP exam.
In addition, candidates must have completed 30 hours of specialty pharmacy continuing education in the previous two years. All continuing education hours must be related to topics included on the CSP exam content outline, and continuing education must be ACPE-approved and/or provided by National Association of Specialty Pharmacy-approved providers.
The CSP exam application fee for the certification is $550, and the recertification fee is $250.
Recertification will be due every two years and include continual maintenance of an active U.S. pharmacy license in good standing; no prior history of felony records or state board suspensions; completion of individualized learning path questionnaire, designed to inform and direct the professional development activities; 30 professional development; and code of conduct attestation
"These policies represent the framework of the process to earn the CSP credential, allowing specialty pharmacists the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skill to employers, colleagues and patients," stated Gary Cohen, interim executive director of SPCB, which was formed last July.
