Immunization nation: Pharmacists flex their clinical muscles, build revenue

6/26/2019
In 2008, when New York became the 49th state to authorize pharmacists to provide certain vaccinations, Heather Ferrarese, owner of Bartle’s Pharmacy in Oxford, N.Y., went back to school to become certified so that she could provide vaccinations in her small, rural town.

Fast forward to 2019, and Ferrarese now provides thousands of vaccines each year and she is enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccines for Children Program, which enables her to provide free vaccines to uninsured or under-insured children.

Shelby Leheny, pharmacy manager at CVS Pharmacy in Bedford, Ohio, graduated two years ago from pharmacy school. During flu season, she gave 45 immunizations in one day. She also gives flu vaccinations at local companies.

Cynthia Moreau is an assistant professor in the department of pharmacy practice at Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where first-year pharmacy students are required to complete the American Pharmacists Association’s pharmacy-based immunization delivery certificate training program. She also is an ambulatory care specialist pharmacist in a physician’s office where she educates patients about vaccines.

Ferrarese, Leheny and Moreau are not alone in embracing their role as vaccinators.

According to the National Community Pharmacists Association’s 2018 Digest, 73% of independent pharmacies are immunizing. “The percentage of independents [that] are immunizing has steadily grown over the last five years,” said John Beckner, NCPA’s senior director of strategic initiatives.

As of December 2018, more than 340,000 pharmacists have been trained to administer vaccines across the patient lifespan. This is a substantial increase from the 40,000 who had been trained in 2007, according to Janet Engle, department of pharmacy practice professor and senior associate dean for professional and international affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Engle said that all accredited schools of pharmacy are required to include immunization training as part of their core curriculum.

Although state laws vary for the need for a protocol and/or prescription to give a vaccine, minimum age limit, and the vaccines pharmacists are authorized to administer, pharmacists have the authority to prescribe vaccines in all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Indeed, pharmacists have made substantial headway as immunizers, even overcoming pushback from many physicians who viewed pharmacists as a threat to their revenue stream to become a trusted resource and accessible source for patients’ vaccination needs.

Education is Key
Like many healthcare providers who vaccinate, pharmacists face challenges, including the growth of the anti-vaccination movement, which has been spreading misinformation that vaccines cause illnesses and such conditions as autism. The movement has been tied to the current measles outbreak, as the majority of cases are occurring among unvaccinated children, the CDC said.

Between Jan. 1 and May 24, 940 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 26 states, according to the CDC This is the greatest number of cases reported in the United States since 1994 and since measles was declared eliminated in 2000.

Pharmacists can be instrumental in providing accurate information to parents since they more usually are accessible than other healthcare providers, experts said.

Beckner believes pharmacists have an opportunity and an obligation to educate patients about vaccine safety and to dispel myths. “It’s a shame that there’s so much misinformation. Pharmacists and the pharmacy community really need to step up and be as vocal as the anti-vaccine movement has been,” he said.

Billy Chow, vice president of pharmacy at Washington-based Bartell Drugs, a 68-store chain that has been providing vaccinations for a quarter-century, agreed that pharmacists can play a monumental role in preventing such diseases as influenza or measles.

“Whether it’s lack of information or misinformation, some people are very skeptical about vaccinations. Pharmacists are easily accessible and can help educate those seeking answers, while debunking popular misinformation about vaccines,” Chow said. “Many people are unsure if they have ever received important vaccinations. CDC guidelines suggest revaccinating when in doubt.”

Mitchel Rothholz, APhA’s chief strategy officer, echoed Chow’s thoughts. “Part of the guidelines for pharmacy-based immunizations is for pharmacists to keep up to date with current recommendations so that they can address the myths and facts,” Rothholz said. “Pharmacists are able to take the information that emanates from the CDC and other reputable organizations and share those consistent messages with the public, and answer some of those questions that arise when there is misinformation.”

Beckner said that the CDC releases new guidelines each year regarding vaccines and age indications, and he also pointed to the Immunization Action Coalition as a good resource.
Yet pharmacists are not the only stakeholders aiming to educate patients about vaccines — drug manufacturers also are interested in spreading the word and raising awareness to increase immunization rates.

Sanofi is among the drug manufacturers that are stepping up to educate consumers about vaccines. “Sanofi is committed to numerous educational programs to help raise awareness about the importance of adult, adolescent and pediatric immunization, and has years of experience in sharing evidence-based practices that help improve vaccine acceptance and increase immunization rates,”said Julian Ritchey, head of public affairs and patient advocacy at Sanofi’s U.S. vaccines business. “We seek behavioral science and consumer research to inform our vaccine education and implementation strategies. We support ongoing educational initiatives to help address patient-provider communication gaps on vaccination and disease risks.”

GlaxoSmithKline, which makes shingles-prevention vaccine Shingrix, also is doing its part to educate patients. “Vaccines are studied extensively before, during and following licensure, and there is a vast body of scientific evidence that overwhelmingly supports their safety and impact in preventing serious and even life threatening infectious disease,” GSK said. “Through our government affairs and medical teams, we look to provide factual content about vaccine science and the value of vaccines to multiple social channels.”

Besides educating patients, manufacturers are hoping to provide resources for pharmacists — a goal that pharmacy technology companies share.

GSK has a dedicated team made up of retail medical science liaisons who work to educate pharmacists about the company’s full vaccines portfolio.

“As part of our educational efforts, we also create and disseminate resources for pharmacists to use within the pharmacy and with their patients,” GSK said.

Sanofi and its VaxServe subsidiary also educate the pharmacy community about vaccine products, including clinical differences, safety and benefits through multiple channels. These include partnerships with professional organizations, publication and journal ads, training programs, and marketing material to help guide pharmacists’ discussions with consumers.

Pharmacy technology company Amplicare is playing a role in helping pharmacists increase the rate of vaccinations through Amplicare Assist, an in-workflow notification system. “When working on a patient profile in the pharmacy management system, pharmacists receive a notification about clinical
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