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NH allows pharmacists to give more vaccinations
Posted: Sep 4, 2011 3:44 PM by Matt Stafford
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire is joining a growing national trend in allowing pharmacists to give more vaccinations than annual flu shots - but doctors oppose the changes in what some call a turf war over a profitable aspect of medical care.
A new state law authorizes pharmacists to give vaccinations for a bacterial form of pneumonia that can be deadly and for shingles, a painful reappearance of chicken pox virus that affects nerve roots and can produce a blistering rash.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the trend to let pharmacists give vaccines has grown from 22 states in 1999 to all 50 in 2009. The trend started with flu shots and almost all allow other vaccines now.
State Rep. Frank Case, a pharmacist, said the state law provides greater vaccination access to the public, but he acknowledges that's sparked a turf war with the state medical society.
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