US Pharm. 2012;37(10):6.
Chicago, IL—While the majority of Americans still
get vaccinated against the flu at their physician’s office, an
increasing number are heading to their local pharmacy. During the last
flu season, defined by the CDC as October 2011 through May 2012, about
20% of those who received a flu shot got it at a retail pharmacy. As
recently as a decade ago, that figure was basically zero.
This shift has been driven by convenience, aggressive marketing
campaigns, and low cost (under the Affordable Care Act, most insurers
can no longer charge copayments for preventive care, a category that
includes flu vaccines). For example, pharmacists and nurse practitioners
at Walgreen Co.’s stores vaccinated about 5.5 million people against
the influenza virus last year, making it the second-largest single
provider behind the federal government.
To comment on this article, contact rdavidson@uspharmacist.com.
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