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Pharmacists in Western Australia can now immunize people against diseases such as whooping cough, measles and meningococcal disease, but doctors warn that they are better qualified for the job.
Health Minister Roger Cook said many pharmacists were already trained to administer "low risk" vaccines to people over 16 and the rest would be ready by October.
Pharmacies have been able to provide the flu vaccine to adults since 2014 and in June, the state government expanded it to children over 10 years old.
"Everyone should be completely immune to these potentially life – threatening diseases and allowing pharmacists to deliver them will guarantee the protection of a greater number of Australians from the West," Cook said.
"Other Australian states and territories have expanded the range of vaccines available in over-the-counter pharmacies."
Pharmacy Guild Chapter President Andrew Ngeow welcomed the announcement, saying the WA was the world's largest health jurisdiction and there were community pharmacies in 40 cities without doctor's service.
"We are looking forward to a comprehensive vaccination program that increases the level of protection and makes vaccination available to all Australians," he said.
The president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia subsidiary, Fei Sim, agreed that allowing qualified pharmacists to administer vaccines would greatly increase vaccination rates.
"While Australia has a strong childhood immunization program, there are many areas where vaccination rates remain below the level of coverage required for herd immunity," she said. she said.
Dr. Sim said that the recent increase in the number of measles cases in Australia has highlighted the need to strengthen the accessibility of the vaccine and the need for a national approach to vaccinations administered to pharmacists.
But the president of the Australian Medical Association, Andrew Miller, said having consulted a general practitioner was "not a trivial thing" and that doctors might notice other health problems during a consultation.
"The safest and safest place for vaccinations is with your local family doctor," he told reporters.
"It puts the health of your family first and profits second.
"We will let patients decide for themselves if they prefer to have someone who has attended the online module or someone who, during their career, has been working in a service provider. ;emergency."
Australian Associated Press
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