In rural communities where the population is spread across many miles and physician numbers are few, pharmacists fill a critical role as healthcare resources. While the need for physicians will never be replaced, services that pharmacists offer are bolstering the overall health of rural communities – especially vaccine administration.
With the federal COVID-19 vaccination program, rural pharmacies have been in the spotlight for filling a critical need in their communities. Vaccine administration has been a part of the pharmacy business prior to this and will likely only continue to grow as Americans recognize the value of this service that their community pharmacist can offer.
Who can do what
Different states vary in their regulations of vaccine administration by pharmacists. While pharmacists can provide vaccines to adults in all 50 states, currently only 27 states allow pharmacists to administer vaccines to people of any age. The remaining states vary on the minimum age and which vaccines pharmacists are qualified to administer in their respective states.
In all 50 states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, pharmacists can administer flu vaccines to patients. Age limitations still apply, but this capability allows rural populations to have a broader access to this life-saving vaccine that can help lessen the weight of flu season on rural medical systems. Other vaccines that pharmacists may administer vary from state to state but may include herpes zoster, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal, HPV and tetanus.
From time to time, states may also expand the authority of pharmacists to administer vaccines in response to critical needs. For instance, in the 2018 flu season New York expanded the ability for pharmacists to vaccinate children ages 2-18 against the flu during that season.
The COVID-19 pandemic has once again expanded the need and the role of pharmacists in serving their rural communities. With the COVID-19 vaccine, each state has specifically regulated administration, including how and who pharmacists may vaccinate against the disease. As supply and demand changes, these protocols also adapt. Check with your state’s regulatory agency to determine what the current requirements are for you to participate. For pharmacists that previously hadn’t offered vaccines, it has prompted them to consider adding other vaccination services to their regular business offerings.
