New York – Gov. David Paterson said today he has signed legislation to let pharmacists administer flu and pneumonia shots, a change expected to boost the number of adults getting vaccinated statewide.
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New York pharmacists who complete state training and certification will be permitted to give the shots with a prescription from a physician or nurse practitioner starting Dec. 4. Three-year certifications would cost $100.
“Allowing pharmacists to immunize would increase access to vaccinations as pharmacies are open long hours, on weekends and most holidays,” said Sen. Charles Fuschillo, a Long Island Republican who sponsored the bill.
State Education Department data showed 20,303 state-licensed pharmacists at the start of 2008, with 16,219 listing primary mailing addresses in New York.
In New York City alone, some health experts said the measure could increase the number of seniors who get the shots by 50,000 or more.
sure, and next emts will be prescribing medications, opticians will be doing laser surgery, nurses and PAs will replace physicians altogehter…
if someone wants to be a doctor they should go to medical school!
politics does not always = common sense. of course we want more people vaccinated, but where do you draw the line?
I agree with him…Pharmacist’s should stick to what they were trained to do, that is count pills and keep people waiting for their prescriptions.
I think it’s more the counting pills-they have to go to school for 6 years and get intense training in medical therapeutics and pharmacology.
They don’t get intense training on giving injections and treating allergic reactions to injections. I’d like to see which doctor will give a patient a prescription to get an injection by a pharmacist.
BP EMT:
medical therapeutics and pharmacology does not equal clinical training. PhDs working at a pharmacutical company will know a lot more than your avg. pharmacist- they can’t give shots or vaccinations either! doctors are the only doctors, and pharmacists are the only pharmacists. people should remain in the role they are trained and qualified for.
According to the law that was just signed the pharmacists have to have additional training and have to be certified in order to give injections. they also need to be certified in CPR.
BTW. 10:14
49 other states before New York signed this into law and it has been very successful. and besides the NY medical society supported this law…Doctors have enough on their plate treating patients then giving flu shots
If I need to get a prescription from the doctor, why wouldn’t i have the doctor give me the shot while I’m there?
12:08, I agree. It takes just as long for the doctor to write the prescription as it does to give the shot.
The real issue here will be monetary. Will the insurance pay the pharmacist for giving the shot? Will they pay the doctor for writing the prescription? Doctors do so much that they don’t get paid for already–hours of phone calls, reviewing labs, writing letters and prescriptions. The money they make for giving a flu shot (usually about $20) which is quick and easy helps offset the amount of unpaid time they spend during the day. I think that taking that away from them is unfair and many doctors will not want to give a prescription for a pharmacist to give the shot.
THE REAL DIFFERENCE WILL BE IN SUBURBAN AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE LARGE DISTANCE TO TRAVEL TO A DOCTOR BUT HAVE A CVS PHARMACY AROUND THE BLOCK. IT WILL REALLY MAKE ACCESS TO VACCINES SO MUCH EASIER.