How many pharmacies can one Pharmacist in Charge (PIC) oversee?

A Pharmacist in Charge (PIC) generally holds significant responsibility for the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In many jurisdictions, including Maine, a PIC is typically permitted to oversee only one pharmacy unless they obtain written authorization from the state board of pharmacy. This requirement is in place to maintain accountability and to ensure that the PIC can adequately fulfill their duties and responsibilities at the pharmacy.

The mechanism for requiring written authorization helps to safeguard public health and medication safety by preventing any potential conflicts of interest or workload issues that could arise if a PIC were to manage multiple pharmacies without proper oversight. Thus, the stipulation about needing written authorization for additional pharmacies underscores the importance of ensuring that pharmacists can effectively oversee their responsibilities without compromising the level of care provided to patients.