CDC Releases Letter Regarding Flu Vaccine
In a letter released by the CDC on September 29, 2016, CDC Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Nancy Messonnier, MD (CAPT, USPHS) stated, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes and appreciates the increasingly important role that you play in public health, including vaccinating the public against seasonal influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases.”
The letter recognizes the contributions of pharmacists to the immunization neighborhood and provides guidance to pharmacists for the influenza season and calls on pharmacists to assess patients’ overall vaccination needs and implement the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice (assess, recommend, administer/refer, document) for vaccinations beyond flu.