Sue Mears reveals how Iowa pharmacists could soon immunize patients down to age 6 under new statewide protocols.
This episode recaps the November 2018 meeting of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. Host Casey Fisek from the Iowa Pharmacy Association is joined by Sue Mears from the Board itself. They discuss key legislative and regulatory actions taken during the session.
The board prioritized amending the Iowa Pharmacy Practice Act, specifically Chapter 155, to expand pharmacist immunization authority. This builds upon the previous year's Senate File 2322. The proposed bill would allow pharmacists to immunize patients as young as six years old under statewide protocols. It would permit any immunization recommended by the CDC. The legislation seeks to reinstate an exemption from checking the statewide immunization registry prior to administering flu or emergency vaccines. It also aims to exempt reporting those specific immunizations to the registry. The board voted to adopt a drafted bill but included several additional changes during the meeting.
A significant proposed change is codifying these registry exemptions into law for certain situations. The discussion indicates an effort to balance public health access with operational practicality for pharmacists. The hosts characterize the meeting as having substantial and positive discussion on a full agenda. They express surprise at already preparing for the next legislative session, highlighting the forward-planning required.
The tone is professional, informational, and collegial, typical of a regulatory update. The style is a straightforward, conversational recap between two informed insiders. Pharmacy professionals in Iowa, particularly those involved in immunization services, would find this episode directly relevant. Listeners seeking broad public health debates or narrative storytelling might find the content too narrow and procedural.
