August 26, 2020 - AMA opposes expanding pharmacists’ ability to provide child vaccines.

Statement attributable to:
Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
President, American Medical Association 

“The American Medical Association (AMA) opposes HHS’ new declaration that allows pharmacists and pharmacy interns to administer vaccines to children between the ages of 3 and 18. While we acknowledge that childhood vaccinations have significantly declined during the pandemic, preempting state licensing laws to expand pharmacists’ scope of practice is not the solution to vaccine hesitancy and will create additional problems. It will likely cause children to forgo holistic well-child exams and comprehensive preventive care, early diagnosis, optimal therapy, and ensured timely vaccinations that are necessary to safeguard children’s health, especially during a pandemic. Additionally, the declaration is misleading in its assertion that a multitude of states ‘already allow pharmacists to administer vaccines to children of any age.’ Many of these states have important protocols in place, such as requiring a prescription or order from a physician. Pediatricians’ and family physicians’ practices are open and ready to provide the comprehensive preventive care parents and patients expect. We urge HHS to reconsider the negative health repercussions of funneling children away from their primary care physicians and rescind this declaration.”
Source: AMA