Pharmacists can vaccinate adults for whooping cough, measles and the flu, which may cost you more
Vaccines have long been available from family doctors and nurses. In recent years, laws have changed to include pharmacists in the list of health professionals who can administer selected vaccine prescriptions.
This can improve the vaccination coverage against flu, whooping cough and measles. But there is a possibility that it costs you more than if you have seen your family doctor for the same shot.
At that time, pharmacists had been giving up certain vaccines in Canada, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom for several years.
In Australia, however, pharmacists did not have the required knowledge and the law did not allow this. Another obstacle was the hiring of other health professionals, such as doctors, that pharmacists could not or should not give vaccinations.
The Queensland pilot study found that pharmacists can safely and effectively deliver certain vaccines to adults once they are trained. This training included how to administer injections and what to do if something goes wrong, such as: Manage anaphylaxis and perform CPR.
State and territorial rules have changed since 2014, and pharmacist vaccination services have grown rapidly. In Victoria, for example, the number of pharmacies registered to deliver vaccines increased from 36 in 2017 to 489 in July 2019.
Problem? The Solution:Medicine
• flu
Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) - except Tasmania
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) - except Tasmania and ACT.
These are important vaccines that are sometimes needed when adults have missed doses earlier in life or lose immunity. The influenza vaccine must be given in a short time each year.
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In Tasmania and Western Australia, the flu vaccine can be administered by a pharmacist to persons over the age of ten.
Pharmacist immunizers may gradually administer more types of vaccines. In Western Australia, for example, pharmacists are now able to deliver the meningococcal ACWY vaccine to persons over the age of 16. This vaccine protects against about half of the strains that cause meningococcal disease in Australia.
Victoria is an exception - pharmacists can give selected state-funded vaccines. And in ACT and WA, over-65-year-olds in pharmacies can access government-funded flu vaccines.
The cost of vaccines in pharmacies vary. In Victoria, for example, the total fee for people who are not eligible for a state-funded vaccine is about 20 AUD for influenza and 43 AUD for pertussis (whooping cough).
Even if the vaccine is free, the pharmacy can charge a consultation fee.
If you see your family doctor, he can either charge you the appointment as a collective invoice or a consultation fee.
It's best to check in advance with the vaccination expenses when you make your reservation.
The fact that pharmacists are immunizers also increases the capacity of vaccine workers to take public health action. To combat an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Tasmania last year, pharmacist-immunizers administered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine to people aged 10 to 21 years.
Visiting the pharmacist for some vaccines can relieve GPs and family physicians to provide a more complex care that only they can afford.
However, there may be cases where it is better to go to your GP to get a vaccine, for example if you are pregnant, have a chronic condition or need some blood tests related to the vaccine. Or you have other things to discuss with your doctor than vaccines.
This can improve the vaccination coverage against flu, whooping cough and measles. But there is a possibility that it costs you more than if you have seen your family doctor for the same shot.
Overcome resistance
Before 2014, pharmacists were unable to vaccinate in Australia. Subsequently, a pilot study of a select group of pharmacies in Queensland made it possible to offer the flu vaccine.At that time, pharmacists had been giving up certain vaccines in Canada, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom for several years.
In Australia, however, pharmacists did not have the required knowledge and the law did not allow this. Another obstacle was the hiring of other health professionals, such as doctors, that pharmacists could not or should not give vaccinations.
The Queensland pilot study found that pharmacists can safely and effectively deliver certain vaccines to adults once they are trained. This training included how to administer injections and what to do if something goes wrong, such as: Manage anaphylaxis and perform CPR.
State and territorial rules have changed since 2014, and pharmacist vaccination services have grown rapidly. In Victoria, for example, the number of pharmacies registered to deliver vaccines increased from 36 in 2017 to 489 in July 2019.
Problem? The Solution:Medicine
Which vaccines can you get in the pharmacy?
The rules vary in each state and territory. In general, pharmacists vaccines over the age of 16 can give you the following three vaccines:• flu
Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) - except Tasmania
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) - except Tasmania and ACT.
These are important vaccines that are sometimes needed when adults have missed doses earlier in life or lose immunity. The influenza vaccine must be given in a short time each year.
There are a few more exceptions.
In the Australian Capital Territory, pregnant women can not be vaccinated by a pharmacist.In Tasmania and Western Australia, the flu vaccine can be administered by a pharmacist to persons over the age of ten.
Pharmacist immunizers may gradually administer more types of vaccines. In Western Australia, for example, pharmacists are now able to deliver the meningococcal ACWY vaccine to persons over the age of 16. This vaccine protects against about half of the strains that cause meningococcal disease in Australia.
It could cost you more
Some vaccines that are free of your family doctor, nurse or vaccine clinic will need to be paid if they are dispensed at a local pharmacy. That's because pharmacist vaccines can not access the government-funded vaccines your clinic can use.Victoria is an exception - pharmacists can give selected state-funded vaccines. And in ACT and WA, over-65-year-olds in pharmacies can access government-funded flu vaccines.
The cost of vaccines in pharmacies vary. In Victoria, for example, the total fee for people who are not eligible for a state-funded vaccine is about 20 AUD for influenza and 43 AUD for pertussis (whooping cough).
Even if the vaccine is free, the pharmacy can charge a consultation fee.
If you see your family doctor, he can either charge you the appointment as a collective invoice or a consultation fee.
It's best to check in advance with the vaccination expenses when you make your reservation.
Do you need to see a family doctor?
Pharmacy vaccines improve access to preventive healthcare, especially for people in rural and remote areas, where it is difficult to visit a doctor or clinic.The fact that pharmacists are immunizers also increases the capacity of vaccine workers to take public health action. To combat an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Tasmania last year, pharmacist-immunizers administered the meningococcal ACWY vaccine to people aged 10 to 21 years.
Visiting the pharmacist for some vaccines can relieve GPs and family physicians to provide a more complex care that only they can afford.
However, there may be cases where it is better to go to your GP to get a vaccine, for example if you are pregnant, have a chronic condition or need some blood tests related to the vaccine. Or you have other things to discuss with your doctor than vaccines.
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