Immunization

Liz Oler, PharmD, discusses the short- and long-term impact of the PREP ACT on expanded privileges and practice changes within the pharmacy profession.

Ed Cohen, PharmD, FAPhA, leads a discussion in which panelists share thoughts on pharmacies being at the center of immunization services for the entire family.

Staying on track with immunizations means modifying workflows and reallocating pharmacy staff time.

Since the start of the pandemic, politicization and misinformation have led to hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine. However, vaccine hesitancy is not a new behavior.

With many people remaining to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and everyone 6 months and older needing an annual influenza vaccine for the 2021-2022 season, many pharmacies are turning to pharmacy technicians to assist in the process.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased vigilance over the proper disposal of vaccine-related materials, such as vials, needles, syringes, and bandages.

Individuals with COVID-19 who had not had a flu shot were up to 20% more likely to be admitted to the ICU and were up to 58% more likely to visit the emergency department.

A huge cost savings could be generated with the success of a hepatitis C vaccine.

The study plans to enroll approximately 180 participants to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of its quadrivalent seasonal influenza mRNA vaccine in adults 18 years and older.

A retrospective case series published in JAMA Cardiology found that although there are rare instances of myocarditis—inflammation of the heart muscle—in younger men following COVID-19 vaccination, the greater risk for heart damage and death comes from COVID-19 infection.

Although most vaccines are administered during infancy and childhood, it is important for people in all stages of their life to continue protection efforts from eradicated and new diseases.

Study will bring together senior leaders, experts and scholars from across the US to co-create a strategic roadmap and actionable next steps for optimizing use of medications, vaccines, and related therapies for US populations.

Researchers from Boston College and Microsoft Research may have found a way to combat these low percentages.

This week on Pharmacy Times, there are a number of important topics that will be covered and posted throughout the week.

Susan Lang, MA, MBA, CEO of XIL Health and former senior executive at Express Scripts, discusses some of the issues pharmacies are experiencing around staffing to support COVID-19 immunizations and how these issues may change post-pandemic.

The vaccine includes all 13 serotypes in the Prevnar 13 vaccine, as well as conjugates for 7 additional serotypes associated with high case-fatality rates, antibiotic resistance, and meningitis.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM, practicing health care provider, and associate vice president for clinical resources at Vizient, about what pharmacists should know about vaccine hesitancy in general.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM, practicing health care provider, and associate vice president for clinical resources at Vizient, about the value of the pharmacist in addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM, practicing health care provider, and associate vice president for clinical resources at Vizient, about how hospitals are tailoring their approaches to vaccine hesitancy to address social detriments.

Lynlee Burton, head of the Center for Vaccines and Emerging Infectious Diseases at PRA Health Sciences, discusses how the pandemic has impacted the way the United States views the pharmacist within the immunization space.

Jay Lieberman, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and the senior medical director of PRA Health Sciences, discusses how health care professionals should approach discussing issues around vaccine hesitancy with parents.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM, practicing health care provider, and associate vice president for clinical resources at Vizient, about specific initiatives for health systems and how to help mitigate vaccine hesitancy.

Jay Lieberman, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and the senior medical director of PRA Health Sciences, discusses his decision to enroll his twin daughters in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial.

The researchers analyzed immunization records for more than 300,000 Texas children from birth to 24 months.

David Silverstein, JD, MS, a partner in Axinn’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and FDA practice groups, discusses the challenges posed by the White House’s support for the proposal to the WTO to waive IP protections for COVID-19 vaccines.

Jay Lieberman, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and the senior medical director of PRA Health Sciences, on the future of COVID-19 disease and vaccines for adolescents and children.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM, practicing health care provider, and associate vice president for clinical resources at Vizient, about concerns for healthcare workers that were noticed in the survey and any concerns patients are expressing.

Support groups and patient care clinics have been created to help patients who suffer from lasting effects of the virus.

A recent study found that nearly 3% of insured adults in the United States under the age of 65 years take medications that weaken their immune system.

The investigators found that using the vaccine in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor—an established immunotherapy drug with a 20% success rate overall for patients—can vastly improve the proportion of individuals who respond to treatments, eliminating tumors in 75% of cases in mice.