The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) has announced a call for nominations for the 2020 APhA Immunization Champion Awards. The APhA Immunization Champion Awards recognize individuals and organizations within the profession of pharmacy who have made extraordinary contributions towards improved vaccination rates within their communities. Self-nominations and nominations on behalf of others are both welcome.

Awards will be presented at the APhA2020 Annual Meeting and Exposition at National Harbor, MD on March 20–23, 2020. APhA members may submit their nominations online by November 25, for candidates in one of the following award categories:

• Community Outreach: Practitioner or pharmacy that has conducted activities and provided education within the communities they serve to increase immunization awareness and delivery.  This category recognizes individuals and organizations that have successfully embraced the key elements of the “immunization neighborhood”—collaboration, coordination, and communication among immunization stakeholders (between pharmacies/pharmacists and immunization coalitions, physicians, nurses, public health departments)—and are dedicated to meeting the immunization needs of the patient and protecting the community from vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Corporation/Institution: Community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, long-term care pharmacies, clinics, government entities, corporations, institutions, etc., that have established, facilitated, and/or collaborated with their community to provide services to improve vaccination rates. These entities should address and incorporate key elements of the “immunization neighborhood” within their submitted activities.
• Friend of Pharmacy: An individual who is a non-pharmacist and has supported, facilitated, or advocated for pharmacists’ role in immunizations. Individuals could include a coalition leader, community leader, policy maker, physician, public health official, reporter, etc. 
• Individual Practitioners: A pharmacist who has established, facilitated, and/or collaborated within their community to provide services to improve vaccination rates. These individuals should exemplify key elements of the “immunization neighborhood” within their submitted activities.
• Pharmacy Team Member: An individual who is not a pharmacist or student pharmacist, who has advocated for immunizations, and who has proactively identified at-risk patients for vaccination. Individuals could include a pharmacy technician, store manager, store cashier, etc. Activities could include conducting or coordinating community outreach, patient education campaigns, managing or delivering immunization services, or supporting pharmacists in the provision of immunization services.
• Travel Health: Practitioner or pharmacy that has established, facilitated, and/or collaborated within their community to offer travel health services, which include, but are not limited to, consultations, medications, and comprehensive travel vaccine administrations.

Please Note: Operation Immunization projects are not eligible for these awards; those should be submitted to the APhA–ASP Awards program. Colleges/Schools of Pharmacy; however, may submit nominations that are not solely conducted by an APhA–ASP chapter.

Visit the APhA Immunization Champion Awards website for more information about the program. Check out last year’s award recipients to help you get started.