Immunization

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases may have a protective effect against serious COVID-19 outcomes once they receive a pneumococcal vaccination.

Annie Eisenbeis, PharmD, MBA, showcased how Missouri’s Pharmacy Vaccine Gap Closure Program is transforming pharmacy-based immunization services through scalable workflows, team training, and a redefined role for pharmacy technicians as community health workers.

mRNA-1273, marketed as Spikevax by Moderna, is now fully approved for individuals aged 6 months through 64 years with high-risk features for severe COVID-19.

In a community of older adults, initiating a pneumococcal vaccination support program reduced annual pneumonia-related mortality by 25%, demonstrating broad public and individual health benefits.

The lawsuit alleges that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. violated the law when issuing new guidance for COVID-19 vaccination.

Moderna's mRNA-1010 flu vaccine shows promising efficacy, especially for older adults, addressing the urgent need for better influenza prevention.

Across 3 different manufacturing lots, V116 (21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) demonstrated consistent immunogenicity and efficacy against S pneumoniae, which causes pneumococcal diseases.

With the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommending that adults receive thimerosal-free influenza vaccines, the preservative that was phased out of most childhood vaccines in 2001 has reentered the public eye.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 5-1, with 1 voter abstaining, to recommend that adults receive seasonal influenza vaccines that do not contain the preservative thimerosal.

As summer heats up, pharmacists can provide travel vaccines and other recommendations.

Six years following vaccination with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in a Chinese population, antibody levels remained high, although not as high as 28 days following vaccination.

The expansion of pneumococcal vaccine recommendations would ultimately lead to economic and health benefits, especially for underserved populations.

Low uptake of vaccination to protect against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) was observed both before and after a pneumococcal-related hospitalization, with countless missed vaccination opportunities documented.

The restructuring of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) could impact recommendations for routine childhood and adult vaccinations.

The FDA approves clesrovimab-cfor, a new RSV vaccine, offering infants effective protection against severe respiratory illness during their first RSV season.

Implementation of the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle in health system retail pharmacies significantly increased uptake of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine among eligible adults.

CDC urges all US travelers to get vaccinated for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) amid rising measles cases, emphasizing prevention as key to combating outbreaks.

The CDC has updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance for children and pregnant individuals, sparking a debate among health experts and concerns over insurance coverage.

Amid intensified scrutiny of COVID-19 vaccines at HHS, Moderna’s mRNA-1283 COVID-19 vaccine was granted FDA approval for patients 65 years and older and patients aged 12 to 64 years with at least 1 or more underlying risk factors for severe COVID-19.

The announcement is set to affect multiple grants awarded to Moderna, which is developing mRNA-1018, a candidate vaccine against avian influenza.

V114, a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), provided better protection against serotypes 22F and 33F compared with 13-valent PCV (PCV13).

The FDA approved the MenQuadfi vaccine for young children, enhancing protection against invasive meningococcal disease and its severe complications.

The change is poised to impact countless individuals who may have sought a COVID-19 vaccine this upcoming respiratory season.

Following a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the FDA announced its recommendation of COVID-19 vaccines targeting LP.8.1, a strain of the JN.1 variant that has become dominant in the US.

RSV vaccines for pregnant women and infants require careful timing and administration.

Interventions such as educational brochures, provider-delivered educational programs, and computerized reminders were found to help improve pneumococcal vaccine uptake in older adults.

In a major policy shift, officials from the FDA announced a new regulatory framework for COVID-19 vaccinations, prioritizing adults 65 years and older and individuals with serious comorbidities putting them at high risk for severe COVID-19.

A systematic review reveals declining pediatric pneumococcal complicated pneumonia rates following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13.

Pharmacists should continue to emphasize the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing cancer and be prepared to address patient safety concerns.