Since the 1990s, there has been a growing movement to improve access to immunization services by giving pharmacists the authority to administer vaccines.
The newest map on LawAtlas.org explores state laws from 1990 to 2016 that give pharmacists authority to administer vaccines and establish requirements for third-party vaccination authorization, patient age restrictions, and specific vaccination practice requirements, such as training, reporting, record-keeping, notification, malpractice insurance, and emergency exceptions.
As of January 1, 2016:
- Pharmacists were explicitly authorized to administer vaccines in 46 states and the District of Columbia.
- Thirteen states and the District of Columbia permit exceptions to vaccination requirements for emergencies or epidemics.
- Ten states grant pharmacists prescriptive authority to administer vaccines (i.e., pharmacists can vaccinate without a third-party authorization).
The dataset was created by Cason Schmit, JD, Research Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University, and Allison Reddick, JD, MPH, Associate Attorney at Hill & Ponton, PA.
