VACCINATION IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES – A GLOBAL
REVIEW AND THE ROMANIAN OPPORTUNITY
CORNELIU-FLORIN BUICU 1, IULIU MOLDOVAN 1, CORNELIA TITIANA COTOI 2, ANDREEA-LUCIANA CHIOTOROIU 3*, RALUCA ELISABETA MOISI 4, ALEXANDRU RAFILA 4
1Department of Public Health and Management, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu Mureş, 38 Gheorghe
Marinescu Street, 540139, Târgu Mureş, Romania
2University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu Mureş, Romania
3PhD student, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu Mureş, Romania
4“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania; National Society of Microbiology, Bucharest,
Romania
*corresponding author: andreea_chiotoroiu@yahoo.com
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Abstract:
Vaccination represents a very important global health concern, at this time being the most effective method of immunization.
Growing the vaccination rate has become a target in many countries because over the years the statistical data showed a
significant decrease in the number of preventable deaths through vaccination. In developing countries, vaccination is a form
of public health protection against more than 20 infectious diseases. Medical science is in continuing development and new
vaccines continue to appear, the most recent being against rotavirus and papillomavirus. The techniques of achieving this
target are different from country to country, but a trend that extends the role of community pharmacies in vaccination is
attracting more states. Argentina, South Africa, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Ireland,
Australia, Switzerland and France offer community pharmacists the possibility to administrate vaccines under certain
conditions. Although in Romania vaccination in pharmacies is regulated by the modified and republished Pharmacy Law
266/2008, in practice this is not yet possible due to the lack of implementing regulations. Good practice examples from all
these states show that such measure possible. Expanding the role of Romanian community pharmacies in vaccination could
raise the vaccination rates. In the last years, Romania has experienced a significant decrease in the number of vaccinated
people that has led to an increase in epidemics in the country. In order to accomplish the objectives of The Global Vaccine
Action Plan (GVAP) initiated by WHO, Romania should follow the example of all these states and implement vaccination in
community pharmacies, because this will increase the number of providers of vaccination services, therefore population
enjoying access to fair information and vaccination programs.

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