PHARMACISTS may not be set to administer the recently approved Pfizer BioNTECH COVID-19 vaccine, but the profession will be vital to its successful rollout, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman believes.
Welcoming the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA's) decision to grant provisional approval for the vaccine - which will be administered through designated Pfizer Hubs - Freeman said it was a "significant first step in Australia's fight against COVID-19".
The PSA President noted that pharmacist immunisers are set to join the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign from Phase 2a (PD 20 Jan).
"The [Federal] Government has indicated it will be approaching community pharmacies this week seeking to participate in this program, and PSA encourages pharmacists to take the opportunity to be at the frontline of this," he said.
"Pharmacists are appropriately skilled and equipped to deliver these services as the roll out of Australia's COVID-19 vaccination strategy continues, including providing significant workforce and infrastructure capacity once other vaccines, such as the AstraZeneca vaccine, become available."
Under the TGA's provisional approval the vaccine has been added to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, for individuals aged 16 years and older.
"Provisional approval of this vaccine is valid for two years and means it can now be legally supplied in Australia," the TGA said.
"The approval is subject to certain strict conditions, such as the requirement for Pfizer to continue providing information to the TGA on longer term efficacy and safety from ongoing clinical trials and post-market assessment.
"The TGA will continue to actively monitor the safety of the Pfizer vaccine both in Australia and overseas and will not hesitate to take action if safety concerns are identified.
"As an extra check, the TGA laboratories will undertake batch assessment of each batch of the vaccine before it can be supplied in Australia."
Meanwhile, Pharmacy Daily understands that negotiations are ongoing between the Government and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in relation to remuneration for pharmacists administering COVID-19 vaccines.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 27 Jan 21
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 27 Jan 21
