A pharmacy technician (PhT) performs pharmacy-related functions including but not limited to dispense medications of a prescription. Training, certification, licensing, and actual practice of pharmacy technicians varies not only worldwide but in some countries regionally as well as by employer.

Pharmacy technicians are healthcare professionals trained in the technical aspects of supplying medicines and medical devices to patients since the 1950s. Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of locations (usually in community, retail, and hospital pharmacies), but can also work for long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, third-party insurance companies, computer software companies, in government, the military, or in teaching. Job responsibilities often include dispensing prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and instructing them on their use. They may also perform administrative duties in a pharmaceutical practice, such as reviewing prescription requests with medical practices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. Additionally, pharmacy technicians handle inventory related tasks such as cycle counts and returning expired and damaged medications back to the manufacturers. Pharmacy technicians may take on the role of compounding supervisor, overseeing day to day sterile and non-sterile medicines preparation while meeting standards required by regulatory bodies.^{[citation needed]}

In recent times, pharmacy technicians also speak directly with the patients on the phone to aid in the awareness of taking medications on time. In many countries, the relative importance of pharmacy technicians within the pharmacy workforce has been amplified in recent years, largely as a reaction to pharmacist shortages, resulting in an increase in their numbers and responsibilities.

The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada administers the Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination. Pharmacy technicians are required to be registered with a provincial or a national regulatory body or council. In provinces and jurisdictions where pharmacy technician is a regulated occupation, liability insurance is required to practice.

According to a 2007 profile of the pharmacy technician workforce, 43% of technicians work in hospitals and other related facilities, 37% in chain or franchise community pharmacies, and 16% in independent community pharmacies. Most (62%) obtained pharmacy technician training from a career college or community college, some (16%) had only a high school education and no formal pharmacy training, while about 20% had some university education. A very small proportion (2%) had trained and worked abroad as either pharmacists or pharmacy technicians. The wide range of technical training and educational attainment likely reflects in part the variety of training programs for pharmacy technicians currently available in the different provinces and territories of the country. Accredited pharmacy technician diplomas, certificates and college programs are offered in the Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. The Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians is a professional organization of pharmacy technicians in Canada.

According to the German Statistisches Bundesamt, 66,867 pharmacy technicians ("Pharmazeutisch-technische Assistenten") were working in 2011. About 90% were working as employees in community pharmacies. Their salary (approx. 1,837 – 2,400 Euros) is part of agreements between employers associations and Adexa.

Pharmacy technicians are known as assistant pharmacists. Several universities offer programs of three and half years of education and training. This occupation appeared due to the lack of pharmacists in Saudi Arabia in 1990, a reason they are commonly confused with pharmacists. Pharmacy regency technicians are regulated and monitored by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

According to the MOH Statistics, there were about 8,471 of pharmacy technicians working in MOH Saudi Arabia 2015.