Pharmacy Focus: APhA Preview - Dr. JAM Highlights Strategies for RSV Prevention in Adults

In this episode of Pharmacy Focus, Jacinda Abdul-Mutakabbir, PharmD, MPH, also known as Dr. JAM, an associate professor of clinical pharmacy at the University of California-San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, discusses her upcoming presentation titled "RSV in Focus: Pharmacists Driving Vaccine Access, Confidence, and Education," on March 28 at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Los Angeles, California.

Abdul-Mutakabbir explains that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is not just a pediatric disease; it significantly impacts older adults and those with chronic comorbidities, especially in the context of immunosenescence, where aging leads to reduced immune function. She emphasizes that with a rapidly aging population, vaccines are essential to restore and sustain protection against pathogens encountered earlier in life.

Drawing on her community intervention work, she shares striking findings: roughly 68% of older adult attendees (most aged 65 and older and often with at least 1 chronic disease) were unaware that an RSV vaccine exists, unaware of who is eligible, and unaware of their own risk status. Many felt betrayed that their regular providers had never mentioned RSV vaccination. Partnering with an independent pharmacy, her team implemented a “warm handoff” model: Abdul-Mutakabbir provides education, while the pharmacy team reviews the immunization registry on-site and administers all due vaccines (e.g., RSV, zoster, pneumococcal, COVID-19, flu), sometimes up to 5 in one visit.

She stresses culturally informed care, recognizing how race, class, and social vulnerability intersect to shape exposure, access, and health literacy—making strong, clear pharmacist recommendations especially vital for highly vulnerable groups. On vaccine hesitancy, she highlights honesty, primary literature, and sustained relationships as keys to building trust, noting that “no” often means “not yet,” not “never.”

Finally, JAM reflects on APhA’s value for networking, collaboration, and funding opportunities, crediting a prior APhA session with enabling sustained support for her community work and reinforcing her vision of pharmacists as multifaceted leaders in preventive care.

Abdul-Mutakabbir explains the importance of counseling older adults on their risk for respiratory syncytial virus while noting that vaccine hesitancy and misinformation play outsized roles in preventing individuals from getting vaccinated. She also notes that many patients do not perceive themselves to be at risk for severe complications from RSV, despite older adults being considered an especially vulnerable population for such complications.