The review synthesizes current evidence supporting the integration of pharmacist-provided vaccination into adult immunization strategies, with an emphasis on expansion in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Published data from high-income settings consistently show that involving pharmacists in vaccine delivery increases vaccine uptake, broadens access, and reduces burden on overextended healthcare services. The abstract indicates emerging evidence from LMICs also supports feasibility and acceptability of pharmacist-delivered vaccination when enabling frameworks are present. Specific study results, effect sizes, or country-level outcomes were not reported in the abstract and therefore are not summarized here.
According to the review, adult vaccine coverage in LMICs falls well short of global targets. The principal contributors identified include limited healthcare infrastructure, shortages of trained immunization providers, inadequate financing for adult programs, and multiple access barriers that prevent adults from receiving recommended vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended expansion of seasonal influenza vaccination and other adult immunization programs, but implementation challenges in LMICs have constrained progress.
High-income country experience provides evidence that empowering community pharmacists to deliver vaccines can yield measurable benefits: improved vaccination coverage, increased convenience and access for patients, and decreased workload for primary care and other health services. These outcomes in wealthier settings form a rationale for exploring similar strategies in LMICs while accounting for differences in health system capacity, regulation, and workforce distribution.
The review notes that early and growing experience in LMICs suggests pharmacist-provided vaccination is feasible and acceptable to pharmacists and communities when appropriate regulatory frameworks, training programs, and operational systems are established. The abstract does not provide granular details on the specific LMICs involved, training curricula used, or operational models tested; those specifics are available in the full text but were not reported in the abstract.
Pharmacists contributed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding access to vaccination, testing, treatment, and public health education. The pandemic experience demonstrated pharmacists' capacity to act as health system force multipliers during public health emergencies, reinforcing arguments for their formal inclusion in national immunization strategies and emergency preparedness planning.
Effective integration of pharmacists into adult immunization programs requires alignment of policy and regulation, adequate training and workforce development, and operational supports. The review highlights the importance of establishing appropriate legal and professional frameworks that authorize pharmacists to administer vaccines, defining scopes of practice, and ensuring quality and safety standards. Financing mechanisms and supply chain arrangements appropriate to pharmacist settings are also necessary. The abstract summarizes these topics but does not enumerate country-specific regulatory models or training standards.
Operational considerations include establishing systems for vaccine storage and cold chain management in pharmacy settings, recordkeeping and reporting within national immunization registries, referral pathways between pharmacies and other health services, and mechanisms for adverse event monitoring and response. Training in vaccine administration, contraindication screening, and patient education is essential. The abstract indicates these operational aspects are discussed in the review without providing protocol-level detail.
Expanding pharmacist roles in adult vaccination is framed as a practical, scalable strategy to improve coverage across the life-course, promote healthy aging, and strengthen preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics. By increasing points of access and expanding the pool of trained vaccinators, pharmacist-delivered vaccination can support broader public health goals and relieve pressure on conventional immunization delivery platforms.
The review concludes that pharmacist-provided vaccination represents a viable approach to expanding adult immunization in LMICs, supported by consistent evidence from high-income countries and emerging positive experience in LMICs when enabling conditions are met. The abstract does not list specific research priorities, quantitative outcomes, or implementation case studies; those details are likely in the full text. Where specific data, trial results, or country examples are not reported in the abstract, readers should consult the full article for granular evidence and implementation guidance.