1. (a) Before a pharmacist or pharmacy technician who holds a national certification or a pharmacist intern acting under the supervision of a pharmacist may administer a human vaccine or related emergency medication to a patient who does not have immunization contraindications as listed by the CDC, FDA, or manufacturer's package insert, or to a patient under a prescription drug order from a prescriber, the pharmacist or pharmacy technician who holds a national certification or pharmacist intern acting under the supervision of a pharmacist

   1. (1) must successfully complete a course accredited by the ACPE or a comparable course for pediatric, adolescent, and adult immunization practices;
   2. (2) must maintain certification and keep documentation in adult and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training;
   3. (3) who has not administered a vaccine during the past 10 years, must successfully complete a course set out under (1) of this subsection; and
   4. (4) must adhere to the applicable provisions of 12 AAC 52.320 and 12 AAC 52.325, including continuing education requirements under 12 AAC 52.320(e).

2. (b) A pharmacy that administers a human vaccine or related emergency medication under this section

   1. (1) must stock the following emergency medications in an emergency medication kit that is separate from the regular dispensing inventory and that is carried by the pharmacist if providing off-site immunizations:

      1. (A) oral and injectable diphenhydramine; and
      2. (B) adult and pediatric auto-inject epinephrine devices or injectable epinephrine;

   2. (2) must maintain a policies and procedures manual detailing the immunization practices that must be followed; the policies and procedures manual must

      1. (A) designate either the pharmacist-in-charge or an assigned vaccine coordinator who will be responsible for maintaining the policies and procedures manual;
      2. (B) document that the policies and procedures manual has been reviewed and updated annually;
      3. (C) address how vaccine-related adverse reactions are to be reported to the CDC's and FDA's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS);
      4. (D) address proper vaccine storage, handling, and maintenance, including maintaining manufacturer-recommended temperatures during transportation of vaccines;
      5. (E) address proper disposal of used or contaminated supplies;
      6. (F) contain a written emergency protocol for handling accidental needlesticks and adverse reactions, including the administration of related emergency medications; and
      7. (G) detail how records must be kept;
   3. (3) must have access to the CDC's Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 14th edition, 2021, adopted by reference, for reference to routinely used vaccines and the diseases they prevent; and
   4. (4) must display the licensee's certification of completing an immunization course described in (a)(1) of this section

3. (c) A pharmacist or pharmacy technician who holds a national certification or a pharmacist intern acting under the supervision of a pharmacist administering a human vaccine must

   1. (1) offer the patient or the patient's agent the current vaccine information statement (VIS) issued by the CDC for each vaccine administered; and
   2. (2) comply with 7 AAC 27.650.
4. (d) A pharmacist may independently administer epinephrine auto-injectors.
5. (e) A pharmacist may independently prescribe epinephrine auto-injectors to a person who has completed an epinephrine auto-injector training program approved by the board under AS 17.22.020(b).
6. (f) Failure to comply with this section constitutes unprofessional conduct and is a basis for the imposition of disciplinary sanctions under AS 08.01.075.

7. (g) In this section,

   1. (1) "CDC" means the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
   2. (2) "FDA" means the United States Food and Drug Administration.

(Eff. 7/9/2017, Register 223; am 4/3/2020, Register 234; am 5/19/2023, Register 246; am 1/19/2024, Register 249)

Authority: AS 08.01.075, AS 08.80.116, AS 08.80.261, AS 08.80.030, AS 08.80.168, AS 08.80.480