​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 (clause 48A) authorises appropriately trained pharmacists in NSW to administer the following vaccines to eligible patients.

Vaccine eligibility table for community pharmacies

Pharmacist immunisers must not supply or administer a vaccine and must refer persons to a medical practitioner if they have any concerns regarding consent, the person has a contraindication to vaccination, or has experienced a severe adverse event after vaccination, or the patient has complex medical needs, and the pharmacist cannot confidently and completely address these.

Enter the name of a disease/antigen to find relevant vaccines and eligibility criteria. Alternatively, you can scroll down to view the full list of vaccines that NSW pharmacist immunisers can administer under the NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards to eligible patients.
​NameLimitations of use Who is eligible for free National Immunisation Program (NIP)/Commonwealth/state funded vaccines from a community pharmacy?Who can receive privately funded vaccines from a community pharmacy?
COVID-19 vaccines (SARS-COV-2)In accordance with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved Product Information and Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendations. Commonwealth1 funded for: people aged 5 years and over.N/A
Diphtheria toxoid
Pertussis antigen
Tetanus toxoid
May be administered in combination e.g. ADT, dTpa, DTPa. NIP funded for:
  • people aged 5 – 19 years for catch- up vaccination2
  • pregnant women3
  • refugee and humanitarian entrants aged 5 years and over2.
People aged 5 years and over.
Hepatitis A vaccine May be administered in combination with other antigens.State funded for: post exposure management in people aged 5 years and over.People aged 5 years and over.
Hepatitis B vaccineMay be administered in combination with other antigens.NIP funded for:
  • people aged 5 – 19 years as catch- up vaccination2
  • refugees and humanitarian entrants aged five years and over2.
State funded for the following groups (5 years and over):
  • Aboriginal people
  • household and sexual contacts of acute and chronic hepatitis B cases
  • men who have sex with men
  • injecting drug users
  • sex workers.
People aged 5 years and over.
Human Papillomavirus vaccineN/ANIP funded for:
  • people aged 12 – 25 years2
  • Refugees and humanitarian entrants aged 9-25 years2.
People aged 9 – 12 years (the optimal age for HPV vaccination is 12–13 years) and 26 years and over as per the Australian Immunisation Handbook (it is recommended that these people are referred to a medical officer).

 

Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccineN/ANIP funded for: people 5 years and over with asplenia and hyposplenia. People aged 5 years and over.
Influenza vaccineN/ANIP funded for:
  • children aged 2 years to less than 5 years
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 years and over
  • people aged 2 years and over with certain medical risk conditions
  • pregnant women (can be given at any stage of pregnancy)
  • people aged 65 years and over (a vaccine that is specifically designed to produce a higher immune response is available for this group).
People aged 2 years and over.
Japanese encephalitis vaccineN/AState funded for: people 5 years and over who live or routinely work (including volunteer deployments) in any of the eligible Local Government Areas and are at risk of mosquito bites.People aged 5 years and over.
Measles vaccine
Mumps vaccine
Rubella vaccine
May be administered in combination with other antigens.

NIP funded for:

  • people aged 5 – 19 years for catch- up vaccination2
  • refugees and humanitarian entrants aged five years and over2.

State funded for:

  • unvaccinated individuals born during or after 1966,
  • vaccination of rubella seronegative post-natal women.
People aged 5 years and over.
Meningococcal vaccine (ACWY) (quadrivalent) conjugate vaccineN/A NIP funded for:
  • people aged 5 – 10 years on catch-up schedule2
  • adolescents aged 15-19 years2,4,
  • people aged 5 years and over with asplenia, hyposplenia, complement deficiency and treatment with eculizumab.
People aged 5 years and over.
Meningococcal BN/A NIP funded for: people aged 5 years and over with asplenia, hyposplenia, complement deficiency and treatment with eculizumab. People aged 5 years and over.
Meningococcal CN/A

NIP funded for: people aged ≥10 years to <15 years on catch-up schedule2.

People aged 5 years and over.
Mpox (Monkeypox) vaccine

JYNNEOS brand only, Subcutaneous injection only, Primary Preventative Vaccination only.

State funded for: non-pregnant eligible5 people 16 years and over only in pharmacy settings that are authorised vaccination settings under the NSW Health State-wide Protocol for the Supply and Administration of JYNNEOS Vaccine.N/A
Poliomyelitis vaccineMay be administered in combination with other antigens. NIP funded for:
  • people aged 5 – 19 years for catch-up vaccination2
  • refugees and humanitarian entrants aged 5 years and over2.
People aged 5 years and over.
Typhoid vaccineIntramuscular (IMI) formulation only

May be administered in combination with other antigens.

N/APeople aged 5 years and over.
Varicella vaccineMay be administered in combination with other antigens. NIP funded for:
  • people aged 5 – 19 years for catch-up vaccination2
  • refugees and humanitarian entrants aged 5 years and over2.
People aged 5 years and over.
Zoster vaccine (Recombinant varicella zoster virus glycoprotein e antigen vaccine)Shingrix vaccine brand only

NIP funded for:

  • people aged 65 years and over
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and over
  • adults aged 18 years and over with specified medical risk conditions that increase their risk of shingles disease. Refer to the Immunisation Handbook for information on eligibility requirements
People aged 18 years and over.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccinePrevenar 13 (13vPCV), Vaxneuvance (15vPCV) and Prevenar 20 (20vPCV)

NIP funded for (Prevenar 13 brand only):

  • people aged 70 years and over
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and over.

People aged 70 years and over and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults aged 50 years and over

RSV vaccine (recombinant RSV pre-fusion protein vaccine)Arexvy and Abrysvo brands only NIP funded for: pregnant women6

Arexvy for 60 years and over only

and

Abrysvo for 60 years and over and pregnant women 28 to 36 weeks gestation6

Rabies vaccine*Intramuscular injection (IMI) pre-exposure prophylaxis treatment only for people who are not immunocompromisedN/APeople aged 5 years and over.

The vaccines may only be administered in accordance with advice in the Australian Immunisation Handbook or Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice.

A registered pharmacist immuniser initiating and administering vaccines under his/her own authority ​must comply with the three components of clause 48A of the NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 which prescribes rules for:

  • completing an accredited vaccination training course
  • recording each vaccination in accordance with the regulation requirements, and
  • conducting vaccinations under the NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards.

*Patients must be educated about first aid and medical assessment for any potential exposure to rabies or Australian Bat Lyssavirus regardless of having been vaccinated.​​​

Further information

Link​​​​​​s

Disclaimers

  1. Funded by the Commonwealth separate to the NIP
  2. Advice on eligibility for NIP catch up vaccinations for people aged 19 years and under, people aged 25 years and under who have missed human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and refugees and humanitarian entrants aged five years and over is available on Department of Health, Disability and Ageing | Catch-up immunisations.
  3. A single dose of dTpa vaccine is usually given to pregnant women at 28 weeks (can be given between 20 to 32 weeks of each pregnancy) and should be given as early as possible (from 20 weeks) to women who have been identified as being at high risk of early delivery.
  4. Meningococcal ACWY vaccine is free under the NIP for adolescents aged 14-16 years (primarily delivered through school-based vaccination program). Adolescents up to 20 years of age are eligible for free catch-up vaccination if they didn’t receive the vaccine at 14-16 years of age.
  5. Eligibility list is included in the NSW Health State-wide Protocol for the Supply and Administration of JYNNEOS Vaccine.
  6. Abrysvo® is the only vaccine approved for use in pregnant women and is recommended for pregnant women at 28 to 36 weeks' gestation. Gestational age should be confirmed prior to vaccine administration (verbal confirmation is acceptable).



Current as at: Tuesday 14 October 2025
Contact page owner: Immunisation