Preventing Pneumococcal Disease Through Vaccination and the Pharmacist’s Role

This activity was originally broadcast live as a satellite symposium held in conjunction with APhA2022.

This activity includes patient counseling video vignettes.

This activity offers Immunizations credit.

Program Description

Despite appropriate therapy and medical care, pneumococcal pneumonia accounts for nearly 400,000 hospitalizations in the United States each year. Children younger than 5 years and adults older than 65 years with certain comorbid medical conditions are at highest risk of infection. The best defense in the prevention of pneumococcal disease is vaccination. With the recent FDA approval of 2 new pneumococcal vaccines, pharmacists have an important role in educating patients and prescribers about the serotypes in each vaccine and clinical recommendations for their use in specific patient populations. This program will outline the opportunities pharmacists have to identify and educate patients at high risk for pneumococcal disease and their important role in increasing vaccination rates. To showcase the role of the pharmacist in identifying and counseling patients about the importance of vaccination, this activity will also include patient counseling video vignettes. As the clinical roles of pharmacists in their communities expand, pharmacists will continue to have important roles as vaccine administrators and will be able to use motivational interviewing strategies and evidence-based recommendations discussed in this activity to promote pneumococcal vaccination.

Target Audience: Retail pharmacists

Type of Activity: Application
Release date: April 4, 2022
Expiration date: April 4, 2023

Time to complete activity: 1.5 hours
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

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

• Identify patients at risk for pneumococcal disease and candidates for vaccination
• Employ the current Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination
• Examine appropriate use of the most recent FDA-approved pneumococcal vaccines and characteristics such as relevant serotypes
• Demonstrate opportunities for pharmacists to intervene to address disparities in care as it relates to vaccination rates for pneumococcal disease

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 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-22-154-H06-P. The activity is available for CE credit through April 4, 2023.

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

Sneha Srivastava, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES, DipACLM, and Miranda Wilhelm, PharmD, have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

James S. Lewis II, PharmD, FIDSA, has the following relevant financial relationship with a commercial interest to disclose.

• Consultant: Merck

Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ Planning Staff: Jim Palatine, RPh, MBA; Maryjo Dixon, RPh, MBA; Dipti Desai, PharmD, CHCP; Liza Patel, PharmD, RPh; Crissy Wilson; Susan Pordon; Brianna Winters; and Chloe Taccetta have no financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Anonymous peer reviewers have been used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewers have 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.

For questions about this internet CPE activity, please contact:
[email protected]
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Information:
www.pharmacytimes.org/terms