Community pharmacy involvement in vaccine distribution and administration

This study identified the type and number of doses of vaccine purchased, distributed, and administered in community pharmacies. Telephone interviews were conducted with 1704 community pharmacies in 17 states (response rate = 69.1%). The 17-state population-level projections reveal that about 10% of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal, MMR, and tetanus-containing vaccines for adults were administered in pharmacies and 90% were distributed to other sources for administration during July 2004–June 2005. Further, 24.1% of diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis for children (DTaP), 30.4% of influenza, 36.2% of pneumococcal polysaccharide, and 68.1% of travel vaccines in pharmacy inventory were administered in pharmacies, while the rest of vaccine doses were distributed to other immunizers.