Reimbursement key to pharmacy vax

SECURING authority to provide vaccination services is just the first step for pharmacists in boosting immunisation rates, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Practice Development and Transformation Lead, Goncalo Sousa Pinto believes.

Speaking during a webinar launching FIP’s Overview of pharmacy’s impact on immunisation coverage report

(PD 05 Aug), Sousa Pinto said gaining access to third-party reimbursement mechanisms would be key to breaking down barriers for patients to access vaccines and in ensuring the sustainability of vaccine services.

“The expansion of pharmacists’ authority to vaccinate is encouraging, but it is not sufficient, because it’s not only about achieving the regulatory change,” he said.

“It’s also about achieving reimbursement for the service to ensure its sustainability and equity of access to the service.

“The impact and consequence of having reimbursement by a third-party payer for the vaccination service has a direct link to vaccination coverage, because more people will be able to come to a pharmacy and be vaccinated without having to pay for the service from their own pocket.”

Sousa Pinto said the profession needed to adopt a “life course approach” to vaccination services beyond the traditional childhood immunisation programs.

“We believe that involving pharmacies in delivering immunisations in general is essential to achieving higher vaccination coverage,” he said.

“[From] what we see in the coming months hopefully, we will have vaccines against COVID-19 and it will be essential to achieve a high level of coverage in the population.

“So it will be important to consolidate vaccination pathways for adults, and especially older adults and patients with underlying conditions... and pharmacies are of course are available and ready in most cases to play a role in achieving this herd immunity and high vaccination coverage against COVID-19.”

Sousa Pinto added that pharmacists have a key role in busting anti-vaccination myths to reassure patients about vaccine safety.

“There is sufficient evidence to support their safety, and we need to provide information to tackle doubts,” he said.