PHARMACEUTICAL Defence Limited has highlighted the importance of pharmacists administering the correct influenza vaccine based on their patients' age, with Afluria Quad, dispensed to children, the most frequently recurring vaccine involved in PDL incident reports last year.
Afluria Quad is contraindicated for those younger than 18 years, but a PDL Practice Alert issued on Fri related several "case scenarios" where customers aged under 18 presented with scripts for Fluquadri or Fluarix Tetra and were dispensed with the Afluria injection instead.
PDL also said pharmacists should beware of generic prescriptions, which have seen Afluria Quad incorrectly supplied to children where the script was written generically as "Influenza Vaccine".
Other incident reports relating to flu vaccinations last year included incorrect technique or incorrect site of administration, some of which led to "longer term consequences for the patient".
PDL noted that the high dose trivalent influenza vaccine which is available through the National Immunisation Program this year for people aged 65 years and over.
"Fluad and Fluzone High Dose are TGA-approved for patients in this age range...currently there is no information or indication for these products in people younger than 65 years of age," PDL said.
"If customers 65 years and over choose to pay for the convenience of vaccination in a pharmacy, they should be reminded by their pharmacist of the availability of the new high dose vaccines through the National Immunisation Program," the update added.
Pharmacists were reminded to report all vaccine incidents to PDL.
MEANWHILE the Therapeutic Goods Administration has also warned that natural rubber latex is present in the sheath covering the needle of trivalent influenza vaccine Fluad, available for those over 65 through the NIP.
The TGA says anyone who has a severe allergy to latex should not receive Fluad, although there are no safety concerns regarding the vaccine itself.
Fluad's sponsor, Seqirus, has committed to updating the Product Information, while the TGA noted that patients 65 and over can still be safely vaccinated with Fluzone High-Dose through the NIP.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 23 Apr 18
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 23 Apr 18
