PHARMACISTS will be important players in supporting the rollout of any successful COVID-19 vaccinations, and need to ensure they understand the vaccine development process, former Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Kos Sclavos, believes.
Sclavos spoke to Pharmacy Daily following last night's Australasian College of Pharmacy (ACP) webinar featuring International Union for Microbiological Societies Virology Division Chair, Professor Paul Young, discussed the development journey of the University of Queensland's (UQ) COVID-19 vaccination.
Sclavos said the webinar highlighted that there are "no short-cuts being taken" with the development of vaccines, adding the research process for many of the leading candidate vaccinations has been ongoing for more than 12 months, as part of the World Health Organization's preparations for "Disease X".
"Understanding there was a lot of preparation work [in the development of these vaccines] will be important for pharmacists," he said.
"If we are able to explain that, it will be crucial."
Sclavos said consumers' opinions will be formed by the people they speak to, and pharmacists "will be important players" in reassuring them that vaccines will not be approved without meeting rigorous safety and efficacy standards.
With Young telling the webinar that the UQ vaccine was likely to require patients receive two doses, pharmacists will also be required to remind consumers to get their second shot.
Sclavos said a recording of the webinar will be posted on the ACP's website to allow pharmacists who were unable to attend the live event to stay up-to-date.
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