Pharmacists are valuable members of the healthcare team who have an important role to play in providing immunization services. Highly educated to provide patient care services and easily accessible in all communities, pharmacists are well-suited to help states increase their vaccination rates and reduce the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases. Notably, vaccines help prevent 14 million cases of disease and 33,000 deaths yearly. In recent years, pharmacists have been instrumental in increasing the vaccination rate in the United States. Unfortunately, pharmacists are still limited in their ability to further increase vaccination rates by state laws and rules that restrict the age of patients who pharmacists can vaccinate and/or the portfolio of vaccines that pharmacists can offer. Pharmacists should be allowed to practice to the maximum of their capabilities, partnering with other healthcare providers in coordinated efforts to decrease the number of under-vaccinated Americans. Laws and regulations that limit the ability of pharmacists to administer vaccinations should be amended to enable pharmacists to make a broader impact on vaccination rates.

UPDATES
2/3/2012
The Senate bill authorizing pharmacist immunizations for all CDC-approved vaccines has been scheduled for Senate hearings next week. Companion legislation will be introduced in the House imminently. GRA is engaging with interested parties on all side to find a bill that will move quickly through the process.

2/10/2012
The Pharmacy Immunization Bill: The Senate Pharmacology Sub Committee to the Full Health & Human Services Committee is planning to hear this bill Wednesday. We are certainly hearing growing opposition out of the medical provider community in recent days as a hearing solidifies.