From Dr E. R. Blay, MRPharmS
SIR,—Most public health experts recommend an annual influenza vaccine as a prevention for healthy adults. However, for whatever reason, vaccination has not been available for everyone who might benefit from such protection. In response to a perceived deficiency, some community pharmacies are offering 'flu vaccination for a fee of £10 per person.
I applaud the enterprise of such pharmacies and see no reason why this kind of service should not be extended. Doctors are continually trying to ward off the apparently insatiable demands of well-informed patients not just those with unreasonable demands.
The public is constantly requested not to ask for antibiotics and yet one of the common needs for antibiotics arises as consequence of infection secondary to primary attack of the influenza virus. Pharmacists are highly qualified and have a professional need and duty to assist the primary health care team.
The potential for the profession is great and the forecasted automated delivery of prescriptions will leave a vast amount of time and energy for pharmacists to enter the clinical field of medical practice.
Pneumonia vaccination would be the second vaccine which could be administered by the clinical pharmacist of the next millennium.
E. R. Blay
Fareham, Hampshire