New Roles Of Pharmacists In France : Vaccination By Community Pharmacists

• By: MORZADEC, Carine (French Chamber of Pharmacists, France)
• Co-author(s): Mrs Carine Wolf-Thal (French Chamber Of Pharmacists - National Council, Paris, France)
  
• Abstract:

  The role of French community pharmacists in the field of vaccination has increased in the past half decade. It increases the vaccination coverage rate by simplifying the patients' journey within the health system.
  
  Following a three-year experimentation, a law included immunization against flu to the core missions of community pharmacists in France in December 2018. Since 2019, France rolled out pharmacy-based flu vaccination at national level.
  During the COVID-19 crisis, pharmacists have been allowed to prescribe and administer COVID-19 vaccines in community pharmacies.
  
  In January 2022, the French National Authority for Health recommended that pharmacists, nurses and midwives be authorized to prescribe and administer certain non-living vaccines to patients over 16 years old (including vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B).
  
  In April 2022, regulatory texts extended the list of vaccines (all non-living vaccines) community pharmacists are allowed to administer beyond seasonal flu and COVID-19 and the target population (Adults and minors aged 16+ targeted by vaccination recommendations).
  
  In addition, between 2021 and 2023, the possibility to administer vaccines has been extended to hospital pharmacists, clinical biologists, pharmacy students (6th year) as well as pharmacy technicians (not yet applicable).
  
  In 2022, 11.4 millions of flu vaccines were administered by community pharmacists in France (50% of flu vaccinations). Nearly 24 million vaccinations against COVID have been carried out in pharmacies since the start of the health crisis.