Vaccination issues
June 17, 2014
WHAT a pity some officials of the
Australian Medical Association (AMA)
are continuing to try to obstruct the
sensible development of vaccinations
by pharmacists across Australia.
The latest phoney arguments from
the AMA were raised in Western
Australia where a weekend media
report noted that the Guild is liaising
with Curtin University to develop
a vaccination component into the
pharmacy degree course.
Predictably, the AMA has raised
issues of training and privacy – both
of which are fully dealt with in the
vaccination trial currently being
conducted very successfully in
Queensland.
In the Queensland trial, which
has already safely vaccinated 8,500
people since April, pharmacies cannot
participate unless they have a private
area to conduct the procedure.
Pharmacists are administering
vaccinations safely in comparable
countries all over the word, including
in every state of the United States.
Pharmacists involved in any
vaccination program must be fully
trained. Nationally accredited courses
to train qualified pharmacists have
already been developed.
This is just a common sense step
to improve access to vaccinations,
beginning with flu vaccination for
adults not otherwise covered by the
National Immunisation Program.
Given the pressure on doctors’
waiting rooms, we think it would be
better if the AMA supported this step
for the benefit of patients.
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