Drug Topics - March 2009 - (Page H6) HSE I Clinical VACCINATIONS NY pharms train to provide u, pneumonia vaccinations ALAINA SCOTT, Senior Editor B y the end of March, approximately UB and the American Pharmacists’ As150 New York State pharmacists sociation, and funded by a grant from will be eligible to administer flu and Merck, is the first step for pharmacists pneumonia vaccinations after complet- interested in giving immunizations. The ing a continuing education program of- full program consists of three day-long fered through the State University of sessions provided through UB. “It’s a very involved conNew York at Buffalo School of tinuing education,” said Karl Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Fiebelkorn, RPh, MBA, assoSciences (UB). ciate dean of student affairs During a recent session tiand professional relations tled, “Pharmacy-Based Immuand clinical associate profesnization Delivery,” pharmacists sor in the University at Buflearned about vaccines, adverse falo School of Pharmacy and reactions, vaccine storage and Karl Fiebelkorn, Pharmaceutical Sciences. “It’s maintenance, record-keeping, RPh, MBA an excellent program, [promarketing, legal and regulatory issues, and emergency issues, as well as viding] 20 hours of CE.” As of December 2008, pharmacists epidemiology and disease prevention. At the end of a day spent reviewing throughout the state were legally auwritten material and videos, pharma- thorized to give flu and pneumonia cists got down to the real thing, first vaccinations to people 18 and older. practicing on oranges to get the feel of The UB School of Pharmacy and Pharhow much pressure is needed to break maceutical Sciences had advocated for the skin with a needle. Then they ad- passage of legislation authorizing pharministered sterile saline solution injec- macists to administer vaccinations. New York is the 49th state to allow pharmations to each other. The training session, sponsored by cists to administer shots. Maine is the only state without such a law. “The biggest reason we and so many others pushed for this is that not enough people are getting flu shots,” Fiebelkorn said. “More than 30,000 people in the United States die every year from the flu and pneumonia, and between 4,000 and 6,000 of those deaths are in New York State.” Fiebelkorn, a director of the training session, added that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends flu shots for most members of the population. “The big advantage of pharmacy-based immunization for consumers is the convenience,” he said. “They can stop by their pharmacy and get immunized right away at any time, without having to wait for a special in-store clinic or an appointment.” New York State’s healthcare providers whose patients want to be vaccinated at pharmacies must furnish pharmacies with individual prescriptions or nonspecific patient orders that give the pharmacist permission to immunize any of a prescriber’s patients. W W W.D R U GTO P I C S .C O M H6 DRUG TOPICS March 2009 COURTESY OF STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO http://WWW.DRUGTOPICS.COM
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