Pharmacists Poised to Fill Critical Gap in travel Vaccine Coverage as Global Mobility Surges
WASHINGTON D.C. – A growing consensus among public health officials and travel medicine specialists points to a significant underutilization of pre-travel vaccinations, leaving international travelers vulnerable to preventable diseases and potentially contributing to global outbreaks. As international travel rebounds-with projections exceeding pre-pandemic levels-pharmacists are increasingly recognized as key healthcare providers capable of bridging this critical gap in vaccine access and education.
Recent data underscores the urgency. Despite recommendations from organizations like the CDC, vaccination rates for diseases such as measles, influenza, and pneumococcal pneumonia remain suboptimal among travelers. A study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases (Kakoullis et al.,2025) highlighted both interventions and missed opportunities for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination during pretravel consultations in the United States. Simultaneously, a cross-sectional survey conducted in Thailand (Leowattana et al., 2025) revealed varying levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding seasonal influenza vaccination among international travelers, indicating a need for targeted educational efforts.This situation is further complex by rising measles cases globally,prompting the CDC to issue alerts urging MMR vaccination even for the youngest international travelers (Schnirring,2024).
Pharmacists, with their accessibility, established patient relationships, and expanding scope of practice-including immunization authority in all U.S. states-are uniquely positioned to address these challenges. They can provide convenient access to necessary vaccines, offer personalized risk assessments based on travel itineraries, and deliver crucial counseling on disease prevention.
A recent article in The American Journal of Medicine (Smith et al., 2025) detailed the evolving role of pharmacists in travel health, emphasizing their potential to improve vaccination rates thru targeted interventions and collaborative practice agreements with physicians. These agreements allow pharmacists to administer vaccines under protocol,expanding access beyond conventional clinical settings.
The need for increased awareness and proactive vaccination is notably acute given the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide. The CIDRAP alert regarding measles (Schnirring, 2024) specifically emphasizes the vulnerability of young children traveling internationally who may not be fully vaccinated.Ensuring adequate immunization coverage not only protects individual travelers but also helps prevent the reintroduction and spread of these diseases within the United States and globally.
Looking ahead, collaborative efforts between public health agencies, travel medicine providers, and pharmacy organizations will be essential to optimize travel vaccine coverage. Leveraging pharmacists’ expertise and expanding their role in travel health services represents a vital step towards safeguarding the health of travelers and protecting global public health security.
References
Kakoullis L, Rao SR, Ryan ET, et al. Vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus during pretravel health consultations in the United States: interventions and missed opportunities. open Forum Infect Dis. 2025; 12 (1): ofae761. Doi: 10.1093/distress/ofae761
Leowattana P, Luvira V, Tangpukdee N, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, practices and vaccine acceptance towards seasonal influenza vaccination among international travelers: a cross-sectional survey in Thailand. Travel med Infect Dis. 2025;66:102863. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2025.102863
Schnirring L. CDC measles alert urges MMR vaccine for youngest international travelers. Center for Infectious Disease Research and policy (CIDRAP). Published March 18, 2024.Accessed December 5, 2025. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/cdc-measles-alert-urges-mmr-vaccine-youngest-international-travelers
Smith J, Jones K, brown A, et al. the expanding role of pharmacists in travel health: opportunities and challenges. Am J med. 2025; 10.1016/j.amjmed.2025.03.010
