What is the primary role of a pharmacy technician?

The primary role of a pharmacy technician is to assist pharmacists with nonclinical tasks. This encompasses a wide range of responsibilities that do not directly involve patient care or clinical decision-making but are crucial to the smooth operation of the pharmacy. Pharmacy technicians help in tasks such as managing inventory, preparing medications for dispensing, processing prescriptions, and handling administrative duties. By allowing pharmacists to focus on clinical aspects of patient care, which include counseling and medication management, pharmacy technicians play a vital supporting role within the healthcare team.

The other options relate to roles that may be performed in different contexts within the healthcare field but are not primarily associated with the duties of a pharmacy technician. Dispensing medications is a task that pharmacy technicians do, but it is part of their broader role and not the primary focus. Providing patient counseling is a responsibility specific to pharmacists, as it requires clinical expertise and training. Conducting clinical trials is outside the scope of a pharmacy technician's duties, typically involving researchers and clinical trial coordinators who have specialized training in that area.