North Carolina News: Item 2170 - Pharmacist Administration of the Zoster Vaccine

July 1, 2008 3:53 pm Topics: Vaccinations

Reprinted from the July 2008 North Carolina Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

Rule .2507 governing pharmacist-administered vaccines was amended effective February 1, 2008, to allow pharmacists to administer the zoster vaccine (presently marketed under the name Zostavax^®). As with the pneumococcal vaccine, a pharmacist must consult with the patient’s primary care provider before administering the zoster vaccine. Pharmacists may not administer the zoster vaccine to a patient who does not have a primary care provider.

Some pharmacists have asked whether a prescription is required to administer the zoster vaccine. The answer is no. The amended rule requires documentation that the primary care physician approved administration of the zoster vaccine. A written prescription certainly will suffice as that documentation. But other documentation, such as a notation in the patient’s profile also suffices.