Pharmacy Students Do First-Time Flu Vaccinations

This isn't a Canadian pharmacy story, but I thought that it was worth mentioning that some American states are also attempting to expand the scope of pharmacists' practice. Alberta and other provinces are also looking at allowing pharmacists to administer injections. In fact, there are plans to set up teaching programs to show Alberta pharmacists how to do this. There is no official word as to when the classes will be, but I expect they will happen this spring.

From the University of Maryland Baltimore News:
Sana Majid leaned over David Roesner's right arm and quickly injected a dose of influenza vaccine. It was an utterly ordinary moment of health-care delivery, yet a significant step for Maryland pharmacists and University of Maryland School of Pharmacy students.

Before this flu season, Maryland pharmacists were not permitted to administer flu shots. But a change in state law, and new industry regulations, now allow specially certified pharmacists-and supervised pharmacy students-to give the shots. A collaboration between the School of Pharmacy and Shoppers Pharmacy, spurred by the efforts of J. Bradley Thomas, RPh, Shoppers Pharmacy district manager and a member of the School's class of 1982, led to a series of flu shot clinics at the pharmacies this month. ...more