Filipino pharmacists can now administer coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines through Immunizing Pharmacist Certification Program.
The Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPhA) has been accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy to train and certify Filipino pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines to adults through the PPhA Immunizing Pharmacist Certification Program.
The program was launched last April 5.
Section 4, Article I of RA No. 10918, a person practicing pharmacy can administer adult vaccines as approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided that they shall undergo the training on the safe administration of adult vaccines and management of Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) for pharmacists and hold a certificate of training issued by an institution duly accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
"As Filipino pharmacists, we are proud to play an end-to-end role in the country’s national vaccination program. We will continue to collaborate closely with our fellow healthcare professionals in ensuring safe and effective vaccinations as we work towards the full recovery of the Philippines,” Maria Gilda Sebua-Saljay, president of the Philippine Pharmacists Association, said in a statement on Thursday, April 29.
Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire thanked the PPhA for their initiatives and assistance during these challenging times.
"As we ramp up our COVID-19 vaccination program in the coming months, we are expecting a greater demand for the human resources for health who will be administering the vaccines," she said.
"As a long-time partner of the Department of Health in advocating better health outcomes, we look forward to the accreditation of the PPhA as a training provider for pharmacists. These collaborations with professional societies are instrumental to bringing an end to this pandemic," added Vergeire.
Pharmacists interested in signing up for the PPhA Immunizing Pharmacist Certification Program, may click on this link https://bit.ly/IPCP_Application.