History

Legislation that first recognized the need for regulation of the practice of pharmacy in Texas was passed in 1889.  That year the legislature established boards of "pharmaceutical examiner" which were three-man committees in each senatorial district of the state. Pharmacists were examined and certified by these committees, although there was much inconsistency as to standards. Few records were kept and there was no central authority to coordinate the committee's activities.

To bring consistency and centralization to pharmacy practice regulation, the Texas Legislature passed the first Texas Pharmacy Act in 1907. This Act established the Texas State Board of Pharmacy as an independent state regulatory board. The first Board members took the oath on August 27, 1907, and in September of 1908, the agency was represented for the first time at the annual meeting of National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The agency joined NABP that year and thus reciprocal privileges were established with other member state boards.