HB 2278 Allows pharmacists to vaccinate children

01/20/2023
VOTE: NO – Signed into law by Gov.Kotek 7-13-23, effective 9-24-23
Status (overview) of bill:https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2278

This bill authorizes pharmacists to administer vaccine to persons six months of age or older.

This bill does not limit the administration of vaccines to influenza. There is worldwide controversy concerning vaccines including influenza and COVID that shouldn’t be administered without the approval of a physician with medical history. Study shows flu vaccines can be associated with an increased long-term risk of diabetes in both rodents and humans.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), annual vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of serious complications from the seasonal flu which children, particularly those under the age of two, are
especially at risk of developing. Currently, pharmacists in Oregon may administer vaccines to children seven years of age and older. Federal regulatory changes made during the COVID-19 public health emergency lowered the authorized age to three years. Parents of children younger than three years of age are often limited to scheduling vaccinations through a medical clinic, which can be a challenge for working parents to coordinate and also impact clinic provider capacity.