Pharmacy techs in high demand as medication access grows

Medication use in America has grown substantially in recent years as the medical field has advanced and more Americans get access to health care. That increase in access to medication is one of the reasons pharmacy technicians are in such high demand.

Pharmacy technicians, who provide technical and clerical support to pharmacists in a variety of settings, as well as help patients, fill prescriptions, and access health insurance information, are also in high demand as access to medication continues to increase and the demand for medication continues to climb across not only America but the world.

According to a Pharmaceutical Drug Manufactures’ report in 2010, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to see significant growth during the 2010-2011 time period. Some estimates by the report put the growth rate as high as 6 percent as the demand for medication grows. Sales of pharmaceuticals are expected to increase by as much as 7 percent through 2013, according to the report.

A major part of the pharmaceutical industry’s growth will come from anti-diabetic drugs and medication treating cardiovascular diseases, according to the Pharmaceutical Drug Manufacturers report. The report also predicts that cardiovascular patients will increase to 251 million during the 2010-2011 time period. The United States will account for a major portion of that growth as lifestyle changes continue to put Americans at a greater risk for obesity and heart disease, which is increasingly being treated with medication.

Americans continue to grow in their access to medication and as new medications are created for more illnesses, diseases, and conditions, the demand for drugs is only expected to get bigger. But the pharmaceutical industry’s growth around the world is also adding to growth in the U.S. As countries like India, China, South Korea, and Brazil continue to develop and improve their quality of life; more and more manufacturers of pharmaceuticals are popping up across the globe, which means more drugs are being created. And the more drugs that are being created, the more people will want access to those new medications.

Whether an increasingly medicated society is a good thing or not –and most health professionals believe it is- is up for debate. But the fact is that the pharmaceutical industry’s growth means the demand for pharmacy workers is greater than ever, especially for pharmacy technicians, who fill a vital role in helping patients fill prescriptions and access important insurance information. Pharmacy technicians are required to have a variety of skills as they often bridge the gap between clinical and administrative duties.

At Ayers Career College students are prepared for a career as a pharmacy technician and trained to play an important role in this growing career field. Training can take less than a year and the prospects of landing a job as a pharmacy technician are strong as pharmacies, hospitals, grocery stores, and Internet pharmacies are growing.