Bill > A342

Introduced Session

This bill expands the authority of pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy externs to administer vaccines. Specifically, the bill allows pharmacists to independently initiate and administer to patients who are three years of age or older any vaccine that is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the current "Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 0 through 18 Years." A vaccine initiated and administered by a pharmacist pursuant to the bill is to be initiated and administered pursuant to a standing order issued by an authorized prescriber and consistent with current ACIP recommendations. In the case of patients who are younger than 18 years of age, pharmacists will not be permitted to initiate and administer a vaccine except with the permission of the minor patient's parent or legal guardian. Additionally, the bill permits pharmacy interns and pharmacy externs to administer vaccines to patients who are 18 years of age or older, subject to the same requirements that currently apply to pharmacists who administer such vaccines. Specifically, the pharmacy intern or pharmacy extern is to be appropriately educated and qualified, as determined by the Board of Pharmacy pursuant to joint rules promulgated by the Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners. Additionally, the vaccine is to be administered pursuant to one of the following: (1) a prescription sued by an authorized prescriber; (2) an immunization program implemented pursuant to a standing order; or (3) an immunization program, including programs sponsored by government agencies, which are not patient specific. Further, the bill permits pharmacy interns and pharmacy externs to administer an influenza vaccine to a patient who is seven years of age or older. For a patient who is under 18 years of age, the pharmacy intern or pharmacy extern may not administer the vaccine except with the permission of the patient's parent or legal guardian. For a patient who is under 10 years of age, a pharmacy intern or pharmacy extern may not administer an influenza vaccine unless the vaccine has been prescribed for the patient by an authorized prescriber. Nothing in the bill is to be construed to require any patient who is 10 years of age or older to obtain a prescription for an influenza vaccine.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Thomas Giblin (D)*,  Mila Jasey (D)*,  Nancy Pinkin (D)*, 

Substituted by S724/754 (SCS/1R) (on 10/29/2018)