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Community pharmacists as vaccine providers

Laura A. Rhodes (Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education, University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA)
Dennis M. Williams (Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA)
Macary W. Marciniak (Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education, University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA)
David Jay Weber (Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA)

International Journal of Health Governance

ISSN: 2059-4631

Article publication date: 4 September 2017

357

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the history of pharmacist involvement as vaccine providers in the USA and discuss examples of growing interests in other parts of the world.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature searches were performed in PubMed as well as pharmacy-related journals.

Findings

Pharmacists have been involved with the storage and management of vaccines for more than a century. Based on the unmet needs in meeting national goals for vaccination rates among adults in the USA, efforts led to training and recognizing pharmacists as vaccine providers which is now within the scope of practice for a pharmacist in all US states and territories. Pharmacists complete a comprehensive training program in vaccine sciences, regulatory considerations, as well as demonstration of skills in administering vaccines. Over 300,000 pharmacists have been trained in vaccine delivery and this represents the majority of the pharmacist workforce in the USA. There are examples of the beneficial impact of pharmacist involvement as vaccine providers in community pharmacy settings.

Research limitations/implications

This review is based on a thorough review of the literature but was not conducted in a systematic fashion.

Originality/value

This review provides a historical perspective and evidence of the benefit of pharmacists as vaccine providers.

Keywords

Citation

Rhodes, L.A., Williams, D.M., Marciniak, M.W. and Weber, D.J. (2017), "Community pharmacists as vaccine providers", International Journal of Health Governance, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 167-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHG-05-2017-0020

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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