National Standardized Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination - Resolution 118-3-22 - Action PASS

Sep 17, 2026

National standardized pharmacy jurisprudence examination content outlines the rationale and structure for UPJE development to assess pharmacist competence in federal and state pharmacy law. It compares licensure-by-exam pathways using NAPLEX and MPJE, lists exam timing and item counts, and details competency distributions for NAPLEX and MPJE. The material includes the resolution text, steering committee charge, guidance for creating a UPJE blueprint, state adoption options, and advantages/disadvantages such as mobility, reduced long-term costs, and governance workload shifts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Current Process-Licensure by Exam

NAPLEX and MPJE Overview

NAPLEX Competency Statements

MPJE Competency Statements

Resolution and Governance

Resolution No: 118-3-22

Steering Committee Charge

Steering Committee Members

UPJE Adoption and Blueprint Guidance

It’s coming: one law exam goal

Boards of Pharmacy/State Options

Competency Considerations

Guidance for Creating a UPJE Blueprint

Advantages and Disadvantages

Increased mobility and workload impacts

Tort Law Relevancy for Pharmacists

1 1. Develop awareness of potential for changes to licensure via examination and reciprocity in the area of pharmacy law by development of the NABP's Uniform Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination 2. Assess the advantages and disadvantages of a uniform examination for pharmacy law licensure. 3. Assess pharmacist/intern knowledge of federal law via a brief Kahoot! 4. Develop an awareness of recent U.S. court decisions regarding pharmacy practice and resulting ethical decisions pharmacists are facing. 3 Current Process-Licensure by Exam ➢ NAPLEX-$520 ➢ Passage required in all states and U.S. territories ➢ 6 hours, 225 questions ➢ Owned and developed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy ➢ MPJE-$170 ➢ Unique exam developed for each jurisdiction ➢ 2.5 hours, 120 questions ➢ Arkansas/California facilitate their own exam ➢ Jurisdictions that do NOT require passage of a law exam: ➢ Idaho, Michigan, Vermont, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Alaska* *Pending 5 Teri Miller declares no conflicts of interest, real or apparent, and no financial interests in any company, product, or service mentioned in this program, including grants, employment, gifts, stock holdings, and honoraria. 2 Current Process-Licensure by Exam ➢ North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination ➢NAPLEX ➢ Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination ➢MPJE 4 NAPLEX Competency Statements ➢Area 1 about 18% Data, Medical or Patient Information ➢Area 2 about 14% Drug Characteristics ➢Area 3 about 35% Treatment Planning ➢Area 4 about 14% Calculations ➢Area 5 about 11% Compounding, Dispensing or Administration or Delivery Systems ➢Area 6 about 7% Ensure Safety and Quality 6 MPJE Competency Statements ➢Area 1 – Licensure/Personnel (Approximately 22% of the Exam) ➢Area 2 – Pharmacy Practice (Approximately 33% of the Exam) ➢Area 3 – Dispensing Requirements (Approximately 24% of the Exam) ➢Area 4 – Pharmacy Operations (Approximately 21% of the Exam) 7 RESOLUTION NO: 118-3-22 TITLE: National Standardized Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination ACTION: PASS ➢ WHEREAS, not every state board of pharmacy requires pharmacist candidates to take the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination® (MPJE® ) for licensure; and ➢ WHEREAS, MPJE item writing and review activities require significant board of pharmacy staff resources; and ➢ WHEREAS, many state-specific laws are similar, if not identical; and ➢ WHEREAS, pharmacists’ knowledge of federal law is important to the practice of pharmacy and for the protection of the public; and ➢ WHEREAS, it may be redundant for pharmacist applicants to sit for multiple MPJEs when transferring licensure across state lines; and ➢ WHEREAS, there is a need to assess competency on federal and state pharmacy laws; ➢ THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NABP examine the development of a national standardized pharmacy jurisprudence examination for the state boards of pharmacy to assess competence for licensure. (Resolution passed at the 118th Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ.) 9 Steering Committee Charge ➢ Determine the architectural framework for developing UPJE and assess competencies ➢ Expectations from BOPs and their obligations for development, maintenance, and usage ➢ Examine necessary components for supplemental statespecific modules as desired. 11 8 Steering Committee Members Jack W.“Jay” Campbell IV (NC), Chair Kimberly “Kim” Burns (PA) Margarita DiVall (AACP) Mary K. Gurney (AACP) Mark Hardy (ND) Kristina “Kris” Jonas (ID) Lisa Lebovitz (AACP) Melissa Martin (KS) Matthew “Matt” Martineau (WY) Susan McCoy (MS) Michael Moné (OH) W. Thomas “Tommy” Smith (AACP) Toyin Tofade (AACP) Lee Vermeulen (AACP) Donna Yeatman (AL) 10 It’s coming…. ➢States that elect to adopt the UPJE will not have licensees take a subsequent MPJE ➢GOAL: ONE LAW EXAM to demonstrate competency. 12 -2022 AACP Resolution Recommended the eliminati

FAQs

What problem is the resolution addressing regarding MPJE use across state lines?

It addresses the redundancy of requiring multiple MPJEs when transferring licensure and calls for assessing competency on federal and state pharmacy laws through a national standardized examination.

How does the document describe licensure-by-exam requirements for NAPLEX and MPJE?

It lists NAPLEX as a North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination with specified time and question count and describes MPJE as a multistate pharmacy jurisprudence exam, including that some jurisdictions may facilitate their own exam.

What are the major competency areas for NAPLEX and MPJE described here?

NAPLEX is broken into six areas covering patient information, drug characteristics, treatment planning, calculations, compounding/dispensing/administration or delivery systems, and safety/quality. MPJE is grouped into four areas: licensure/personnel, pharmacy practice, dispensing requirements, and pharmacy operations.

Sep 17, 2026

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