LAUSR

Pharmacists working in outpatient settings are in a prime position to improve pediatric vaccination rates by recommending, administering, or educating families and patients about vaccines. Pediatric vaccination rates are less than optimal in the United States (U.S.), many falling short of the goals set forth by Healthy People 2020, which may be contributing to pediatric morbidity and mortality. For the 2018-2019 influenza season, less than half of children indicated for vaccination with the influenza vaccine were vaccinated by December and 101 influenza-associated pediatric deaths have occurred as of April 2019. For the adolescent population, fewer than 50% received the complete series of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2017 and this same demographic had the lowest influenza vaccination rate of all pediatric age groups at 47.4% in the 2017-2018 influenza season.