APhA joined 13 national pharmacy organizations requesting the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) authorize pharmacists to provide COVID-19 vaccines to all patients across the country. 

To further help America rapidly recover from the pandemic, APhA's June 29 joint letter specifically asked HHS to declare under the PREP Act that licensed pharmacists are authorized to order and administer all COVID-19 vaccines that FDA authorizes or approves to prevent the COVID-19 virus. 

To avoid confusion at the state and local levels and resulting delays, we also asked HHS to specify that its declaration preempts state or local requirements prohibiting pharmacists from doing so. 

“America’s more than 360,000 pharmacists are trained to administer vaccines and stand ready and able to dramatically expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations when they are available,” said Ilisa BG Bernstein, PharmD, JD, FAPhA, APhA Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Practice and Government Affairs. 

A collaboration among organizations representing pharmacists and pharmacies, our joint letter was signed by AACP, ACCP, ACPE, AMCP, APhA, ASCP, ASHP, CPNP, HOPA, NACDS, NASPA, NCPA, and NPhA.

Read our joint letter.