Rupal Mansukhani, PharmD, FAPhA, NCNTT

An expert discusses how pharmacists should follow CDC immunization schedules for different age groups and use shared clinical decision-making for patients with prior vaccination history, while considering contraindications primarily related to severe allergic reactions to vaccine components.

An expert discusses how the 5 FDA-approved pneumococcal vaccines differ, with newer conjugate vaccines like PCV20 and PCV21 offering broader serotype coverage and better immune memory compared with the older polysaccharide vaccine, though geographic factors may influence vaccine selection.

An expert discusses how pharmacists can identify high-risk patients for pneumococcal disease by reviewing medication profiles for immunosuppressants and using electronic medical record vaccine tracking tools, while emphasizing that vulnerable populations face higher morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization rates compared with healthy individuals.

An expert discusses how pneumococcal disease presents differently across age groups, with children primarily experiencing ear infections, whereas adults face more serious, invasive complications such as bacteremia and meningitis, though vaccination efforts have significantly reduced overall incidence rates.