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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
SENATE BILL NO. 378
BY SENATOR MILLS
PHARMACISTS. Authorizes a pharmacist in a health professional shortage area to
administer certain vaccines. (/8/1/12)
AN ACT1
To enacts R.S. 37:1218.1, relative to immunizations; to provide for the administration of2
certain immunizations in health professional shortage areas; to provide for the3
requirements of pharmacists administering the immunization; and to provide for4
related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 37:1218.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 7
ยง 1218.1. Administration of certain immunizations in health professional8
shortage areas9
A. In any parish designated as a health professional shortage area as set10
forth under Section 332 of the Public Health Service Act, as determined by the11
Department of Health and Hospitals, Bureau of Primary Care and Rural12
Health, a pharmacist may administer any of the following vaccines, but only in13
conformance with the provisions of Subsection B of this Section:14
(1) Influenza, to any person seven years of age or older.15
(2) Pneumococcal, to any person eighteen years of age or older.16
(3) Zoster, to any person eighteen years of age or older.17 SB NO. 378
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
B. The pharmacist shall administer each immunization in conformance1
with the most current vaccination administration as set forth by the United2
States Public Health Service Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,3
following guidance published in the Louisiana State Immunization Policies and4
Procedures Manual, to participate in the program and to be covered by the5
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund.6
(1)The pharmacist shall report each influenza immunization to the office7
of public health's Louisiana Immunization Network for Kids Statewide at the8
time of the immunization or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter, as this9
is the official state vaccination record.10
(2)The pharmacist shall report all adverse events he observes or which11
are reported to him to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System, the12
cooperative program of the United States Centers for Disease Control and13
Prevention and the United States Food and Drug Administration for vaccine14
safety, or its successor program; and further, the pharmacist shall refer the15
patient with an adverse event to an immunization for appropriate medical care.16
(3)The pharmacist shall maintain for at least two years a record of each17
immunization administered.18
(4)The pharmacist shall obtain the appropriate credential to administer19
immunization from the board, as administratively defined, prior to20
administering any such immunization.21
(5)The pharmacist shall request the name of a patient's primary care22
provider prior to the administering of any immunization. If the patient23
identifies such primary care provider to the pharmacist, the pharmacist shall24
notify the primary care provider, by written or electronic communication, as25
soon as reasonably possible thereafter that the immunization was administered.26 SB NO. 378
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christopher D. Adams.
DIGEST
Proposed law provides that in any parish designated as a health professional shortage area
a pharmacist may administer any of the following vaccines:
(1)Influenza, to any person seven years of age or older.
(2)Pneumococcal, to any person eighteen years of age or older.
(3)Zoster, to any person eighteen years of age or older.
Proposed law provides that the pharmacist shall administer each immunization in
conformance with the most current vaccination administration as set forth by the United
States Public Health Service Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Proposed law provides that the pharmacist shall report each influenza immunization to the
office of public health's Louisiana Immunization Network for Kids Statewide.
Proposed law provides that the pharmacist shall report all adverse events he observes or
which are reported to him to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System.
Proposed law provides that the pharmacist shall maintain for at least two years a record of
each immunization administered.
Proposed law provides that the pharmacist shall obtain the appropriate credential to
administer immunization from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.
Proposed law provides that the pharmacist shall request the name of a patient's primary care
provider prior to the administering of any immunization and notify the provider.
Effective August 1, 2012.
(Adds R.S. 37:1218.1)