The College of Pharmacists from Romania and the representative professional organizations strongly react against the idea that vaccination should be carried out exclusively in doctors’ offices.
Through a press release issued on Tuesday, December 2, the Romanian College of Pharmacists, together with the representative professional organizations, reacts to recent statements that suggest that vaccination should be carried out exclusively in doctors’ offices.
Thus, the pharmacists believe that this approach does not take into account the realities of the health system, the legislation in force, nor the European practices, in the context where Romania still has a lot to recover in terms of vaccination coverage and where in 25 European countries expanding access to vaccination by involving pharmacists and pharmacies is already a standard practice.
Although they welcome the positive developments in recent years, professional organizations draw attention to the fact that Romania is still far from the targets recommended at the European level.
“Limiting vaccination to doctors’ offices would be a step backwards and reduce accessibility for patients,” warn pharmacist representatives.
They remind that there is already a legal framework that allows flu vaccination in pharmacies, under regulated conditions, within a pilot program that has been operating since 2023, and the results show that vaccination in pharmacies is a safe, accessible and valued service by patients.
Therefore, professionals consider it natural that this program should be permanent and extended to other types of vaccines, not restricted.
Settlement of vaccination in pharmacies
Another important point concerns the settlement by the state of flu vaccinations carried out in pharmacies, under the same conditions as for the other categories of vaccinators. In the opinion of pharmacists, professional equity and balanced access to services are essential conditions for increasing vaccination coverage, emphasizing that they are health professionals, licensed, additionally trained and authorized by law to carry out vaccinations. Many pharmacies already operate as immunization centers, offering safe, quality and affordable services.
The representatives of the College of Pharmacists point out that statements that ignore these realities risk confusing people and minimizing the role of pharmacists in the health system, given that in 54 countries and territories vaccination in pharmacies is authorized, and the number of countries that train pharmacists for immunization activities has increased, from 12 in 2016, to 64 today.
Professional organizations warn that, if Romania adopts the idea of vaccination exclusively in medical offices, it will take a “backward step” in the population’s access to preventive services and in the modernization of the health system.
