INTERN pharmacists can now administer influenza vaccines in New Zealand, as long as they have completed the country's pharmacist vaccinator course.
The change became effective last week, meaning intern pharmacists can now immunise anyone aged 13 and over, reports NZ trade publication Pharmacy Today.
Currently just under half of the 1,000 pharmacies across New Zealand offer vaccinations, and it's hoped that the new rules will increase this as vaccination increasingly becomes seen as a standard part of community pharmacy practice.
The Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand has a 2025 goal of having all pharmacies in NZ being funded to offer the full National Immunisation Schedule of vaccines.
It's also believed having more pharmacist vaccinators will lead to greater immunisation rates.
"For high needs patients, it's often more convenient to go to a pharmacy than make an appointment to see a doctor," said NZ Pharmaceutical Society president, Ian McMichael.
The initiative was backed by the country's Immunisation Advisory Centre, which trains pharmacist immunisers, with director Nikki Turner saying it would expand public access to vaccines.
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