Pharmacists: essential in access to vaccination

Among the multiple services that pharmacists offer in the various areas of performance in our practice, immunization or vaccination has taken on special relevance, in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic and due to the variety of other vaccines that we administer.

To offer this important service, the pharmacist must be certified through a due process of qualification and training. Likewise, the pharmacy facility where it will offer the same must be duly certified. Our professionals, in turn, comply with the annual recertification process that includes topics from CPR, pathogens in the blood, oxygen, as well as in all the protocols and equipment required and in updating the guidelines and management for the administration of vaccines. . This entire process has been arduous and challenging, but full of satisfaction, bringing, as a result, a greater number of immunizing pharmacists, further opening the door to vaccination in Puerto Rico. Recently, this vaccination force has been joined by pharmacy technicians authorized to administer vaccines.

Hand in hand with the pharmacist, patients make the best decision to be vaccinated in an informed and safe manner, and are qualified about the vaccines they are missing according to their age and health conditions. It is a process that goes beyond injecting a medication, it is about administering a vaccine, the most direct way to prevent diseases.

We offer a full range of vaccines available to prevent diseases such as: influenza, pneumonia, shingles, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis, chickenpox, measles and meningitis, among others. During the pandemic, approximately 2.8 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 have been administered by pharmacists, who have worked tirelessly, for long hours, for the health of the country. In addition, we provide services to bedridden patients and outside our facilities due to the extramural licenses that we have. We urge the population to consult with their immunizing pharmacist, accessible along with their team, to bring them up to date on the vaccines they are missing.

We are proud to have 1,667 pharmacists, 1,003 pharmacy technicians and 111 pharmacy interns, certified to administer vaccines in various facilities throughout the island. We will continue to provide the best pharmaceutical care in each new service we offer and whenever the country needs us. Congratulations to each of you for your commitment to Puerto Rico!

The author is president of the College of Pharmacists of Puerto Rico.

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