SR108.DOC

WHEREAS, many children in our communities do not have ready access to vaccinations, thereby making them more susceptible to disease; and

WHEREAS, the present economic recession makes gaining access to vaccinations even more difficult for struggling families; and

WHEREAS, pharmacies are located throughout our communities and often have more extensive hours of operation than physicians' offices so that our residents can easily gain access to them; and

WHEREAS, pharmacists who administer vaccinations must go through special training related to immunizations; and

WHEREAS, pharmacists who administer vaccines have adult and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training available; and

WHEREAS, eighteen states have enacted legislation that allows pharmacists to immunize patients as young as nine years of age, thereby providing families with young children more access to the benefits of immunization; and

WHEREAS, lowering the age restrictions for pharmacist-administered vaccinations will improve community access to potentially life-saving vaccines and will serve as a valuable preventative tool by allowing for quick and effective vaccination of a large number of people in the event of a public health emergency in Hawaii, such as the H1N1 flu outbreak; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, that the Legislature requests the Chair of the Board of Pharmacy to establish a task force to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of lowering the age at which vaccinations may be administered by pharmacists; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be named the Pharmacist-Administered Vaccination Task Force (Task Force); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the purpose of the Task Force is to research and report to the Legislature on the following:

(1) The potential benefits and drawbacks of lowering the age restrictions for pharmacists to administer vaccines to children;

(2) The most effective means to lower such age restrictions;

(3) Whether additional education or certification requirements for vaccinating pharmacists would be necessary or recommended; and

(4) Schemas of other states' vaccination age restrictions that allow vaccination of minors by pharmacists in all or limited circumstances; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force be comprised of:

(1) The Director of Health or the Director's designee;

(2) At least one member of the Board of Pharmacy;

(3) The Dean of the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy or the Dean's designee;

(4) One pharmacist each from Walgreens and Long's Drugs and representatives from two independent pharmacies; and

(5) A member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health or the Director's designee be the chairperson of the Task Force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Task Force serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force be situated in the Department of Health for administrative purposes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to assist the Task Force in drafting its recommendations and any proposed legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any implementing legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force shall cease to exist after June 30, 2011; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, the Chair of the Board of Pharmacy, the Dean of the University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy, the District Manager for Hawaii of Walgreens, the Local District Manager of CVS Caremark Corp., and the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Pharmacist-Administered Vaccination Task Force; Lower Age of Recipients

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	108
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII