Influenza Prevention in the At-Risk Adult Population and the Pharmacist's Role in an Evolving Influenza Vaccine Landscape

Program Description
Annually, the burden of influenza is influenced by the characteristics of circulating viruses, timing of the season, efficacy of the vaccine in protecting against illness, and how many people received vaccination. Understanding the clinical data, indications, and recommendations for available influenza vaccines is central to the pharmacist’s ability to make an appropriate influenza vaccine recommendation, especially for older adults and individuals at higher risk of complications. This program will focus on the updated Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices guideline recommendations for the 2023-2024 influenza season for older adults, especially as the global population of persons aged older than 65 years is expected to increase to 16% by 2050. It is crucial for pharmacists to be prepared for their key roles in the vaccination process, including addressing patient concerns and hesitancy with vaccination as well as providing patient education.

Target Audience: Health-system and retail pharmacists

Type of Activity: Application
Release date: October 30, 2023
Expiration date: October 30, 2024

Time to complete activity: 1.25 hours
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Identify recent trends in the severity and spread of influenza among older adults with chronic conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease
• Examine indications for use of influenza vaccines with preferential recommendations for use in older adults according to updated Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 2023-2024 guideline recommendations
• Express counseling strategies to improve uptake of influenza vaccines among older adults at risk of severe influenza-related complications and hospitalization

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education^™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-9999-23-410-H06-P. The activity is available for CE credit through October 30, 2024.

Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit

To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, view the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.

Disclosures

The following contributors have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:

Faculty

Rupal Mansukhani, PharmD, CTTS, FAPhA

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education^™ Planning Staff—Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Maryjo Dixon, RPh, MBA; Dipti Desai, PharmD, MBA, CHCP; Abigail Dill; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; Chloe Taccetta; and Rebecca Green have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

An anonymous peer reviewer was used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.

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[email protected]
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