Sec 32-1974. Pharmacists; administration of immunizations, vaccines and emergency medications; certification; reporting requirements; advisory committee; definition

A. Except as prescribed pursuant to subsection I of this section, a pharmacist who is licensed pursuant to this chapter and who meets the requirements of this section may administer the following to adults without a prescription order pursuant to rules and protocols adopted by the board pursuant to this section:

1. Immunizations or vaccines listed in the United States centers for disease control and prevention's recommended adult immunization schedule.

2. Immunizations or vaccines recommended by the United States centers for disease control and prevention's health information for international travel.

B. A pharmacist who is licensed pursuant to this chapter and who meets the requirements of this section may administer the following to a person who is at least six years of age but under eighteen years of age without a prescription order pursuant to rules and protocols adopted by the board pursuant to this section:

1. Immunizations or vaccines for influenza.

2. Immunizations or vaccines in response to a public health emergency declared by the governor pursuant to section 36-787.

C. Pursuant to a prescription order, a pharmacist who is licensed pursuant to this chapter and who meets the requirements of this section may administer immunizations and vaccines to a person who is at least six years of age but under eighteen years of age pursuant to rules and protocols adopted by the board pursuant to this section.

D. A pharmacist who wishes to administer immunizations and vaccines pursuant to this section must be certified to do so by the board. The board shall issue a certificate to a pharmacist who meets board requirements for certification as prescribed by the board by rule.

E. A pharmacist who is certified to administer immunizations and vaccines pursuant to this section may administer emergency medication to manage an acute allergic reaction to an immunization or vaccine.

F. A pharmacist who administers an immunization, vaccine or emergency medication pursuant to this section must:

1. Report the administration to the person's primary care provider or physician, if the primary care provider or physician is available, within forty-eight hours after administering the immunization, vaccine or emergency medication and as prescribed by the board by rule.

2. Report information to any adult immunization information system or vaccine registry established by the department of health services.

3. Maintain a record of the immunization pursuant to title 12, chapter 13, article 7.1 and as prescribed by the board by rule.

4. Participate in any federal vaccine adverse event reporting system or successor database.

G. This section does not establish a cause of action against a patient's primary care provider for any adverse reaction, complication or negative outcome arising from the administration of any immunization, vaccine or emergency medication by a pharmacist to a patient pursuant to this section if it is administered without a prescription written by the patient's primary care provider.

H. The board shall adopt rules for the administration of vaccines or immunizations pursuant to this section regarding:

1. Protocols that are based on protocols approved by the United States centers for disease control and prevention and any advisory committee appointed by the board for the purpose of recommending protocols.

2. Record keeping and reporting requirements.

3. Requirements and qualifications for pharmacist certification pursuant to this section.

4. Vaccine information and educational materials for those requesting vaccines and immunizations.

5. The administration of emergency medication pursuant to this section.

I. The department of health services, by rule, shall establish and maintain a list of immunizations or vaccines that may be administered to adults by a pharmacist only pursuant to a prescription order. In adopting and maintaining this list, the department is exempt from the rule making requirements of title 41, chapter 6. The department shall adopt its initial rules within six months after receipt of the recommendations of the advisory committee appointed by the board and shall hold one public hearing before implementing the rules and any amendments to the rules. The list shall include those immunizations or vaccines listed in the United States centers for disease control and prevention's recommended adult immunization schedule or recommended by the United States centers for disease control and prevention's health information for international travel that have adverse reactions that could cause significant harm to a patient's health. A pharmacist may not administer immunizations or vaccines without a prescription order pursuant to this section before the department has established the list pursuant to this subsection. The board may not authorize a pharmacist to administer new immunizations or vaccines without a prescription order pursuant to this section until the department reviews the new immunizations and vaccines to determine if they should be added to the list established pursuant to this subsection.

J. The board may appoint an advisory committee to assist the board in adopting and amending rules and developing protocols relating to the administration of immunizations, vaccines and emergency medications and certification requirements.

K. A pharmacy intern who is certified by the board to administer immunizations and vaccines pursuant to this section may do so only in the presence and under the immediate personal supervision of a pharmacist certified as prescribed in this section.

L. This section does not prevent a pharmacist who administers an immunization or vaccine from participating in the federal vaccines for children program.

M. A pharmacist may not administer an immunization or vaccine to a minor pursuant to subsection B or C of this section without the consent of the minor's parent or guardian.

N. For the purposes of this section, "emergency medication" means emergency epinephrine and diphenhydramine.