Pharmacist vaccination eligibility

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.

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

• For legal requirements of supplying and administering a vaccine under the NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008, contact the Pharmaceutical Services Unit, NSW Ministry of Health by email MOH-PharmaceuticalServices@health.nsw.gov.au
• For the Pharmacist Vaccination Standards, email the Immunisation Unit, NSW Ministry of Health on MOH-vaccreports@health.nsw.gov.au

Links

• NSW Pharmacist Vaccine Authority
• Application to register as a vaccination provider with the AIR
• NSW form to register as a vaccination provider (pharmacist)
• Guidance for pharmacist immunisers – Access to pharmacist-approved NIP vaccines
• NSW Health - Staying safe and healthy overseas

Disclaimers

1. Funded by the Commonwealth, separate from 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. The 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 from 28 weeks of gestation and idealy before 36 weeks gestation for each pregnancy. Gestational age should be confirmed prior to vaccine administration (verbal confirmation is acceptable).