The Board of Pharmacy issued the following statement via email to licensees yesterday clarifying that only registered pharmacy technicians are authorized to administer vaccines:
The Virginia Board of Pharmacy has received several inquiries regarding the ability to use pharmacy technician trainees to administer vaccines to patients. We wish to remind the pharmacy community that to be considered a “qualified pharmacy technician” as indicated on page 2 of the Department of Health and Human Services Guidance issued October 20, 2020, an individual authorized to administer vaccines must be registered with the Board as a pharmacy technician. Registration with the Board as a pharmacy technician trainee does not meet the requirement to be considered a “qualified pharmacy technician”.
Also in Virginia, Alexis Page, PharmD, BCACP, has been appointed the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) COVID-19 Pharmacy Coordinator, under the VDH Vaccine Unit. In addition to her education, Dr. Page’s background includes a PGY1 Community Based Pharmacy Residency and a Community Based Pharmacy Leadership and Management Fellowship with Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. She is also Certified in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy (BCACP). Just prior to joining VDH she was the Pharmacy Manager and Residency Coordinator at Kroger and VCU. NACDS and VACDS have been working with Dr. Page in Virginia and she welcomes you to reach out to her.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.