Final answer:
Pharmacy technicians typically assist with tasks that do not require medical judgment and therefore would not normally monitor ongoing therapies, which is a role typically filled by pharmacists or other healthcare professionals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether pharmacy technicians can monitor ongoing therapies is a nuanced matter. Typically, pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in activities that do not require professional judgment such as counting pills or preparing prescription labels. Monitoring ongoing therapies often requires professional medical judgment to assess and adapt a patient's treatment plan, which is usually outside the scope of pharmacy technicians' duties. However, it's important to note that the roles of pharmacy technicians can vary by jurisdiction and the specific policies of their place of employment.
For certain treatments like directly observed therapy (DOT), which is part of the WHO's global strategy for eradicating tuberculosis, supervision is more hands-on, often involving healthcare providers to ensure adherence to medication regimens. Although DOT is effective for some diseases, its practicality and cost-effectiveness for treatments like antibiotics remain questionable. Moreover, pharmacovigilance systems are in place to monitor drug safety and efficacy, but again, this typically falls under the responsibility of pharmacists and other healthcare professionals rather than pharmacy technicians.