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Pharmacy technicians in immunization services: Mapping roles and responsibilities through a Scoping Review

2025-07-30Artigo de investigação Acesso aberto
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dc.contributor.authorValeiro, Carolina
dc.contributor.authorSilva, Vítor
dc.contributor.authorBalteiro, Jorge
dc.contributor.authorPatterson, Diane
dc.contributor.authorBezerra, Gilberto
dc.contributor.authorMealiff, Karen
dc.contributor.authorMatos, Cristiano
dc.contributor.authorJesus, Ângelo
dc.contributor.authorJoaquim, João
dc.contributor.authorJesus, Ângelo
dc.date.accessioned2026-04-13T09:24:45Z
dc.date.available2026-04-13T09:24:45Z
dc.date.issued2025-07-30
dc.description.abstractPharmacy technicians are increasingly involved in immunization services, enhancing vaccine accessibility and reducing pharmacies’ workload. This scoping review aims to (1) provide a comprehensive overview of pharmacy technicians’ involvement in immunization services across various healthcare settings and countries, and (2) conduct a comparative analysis of training curricula for pharmacy technicians on immunization. A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. A comprehensive search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was performed using keywords and MeSH terms such as “pharmacy technician(s)”, “immunization”, “vaccination”, “role”, and “involvement”. Studies included assessed pharmacy technicians’ roles in vaccine administration, training, and public health outcomes. Descriptive and thematic analyses were used to synthesize the findings. In addition, a supplementary analysis of immunization training curricula was conducted, reviewing programs from different countries to identify similarities, differences, and gaps in course structure, content, and delivery formats. Lastly, a comprehensive toolkit was developed, offering guidelines intended to facilitate the implementation of immunization training programs. A total of 35 articles met the inclusion criteria, primarily from the United States of America (n = 30), Canada (n = 2), Ethiopia (n = 1), Denmark (n = 1) and United Kingdom (n = 1). The findings indicate that pharmacy technicians contribute significantly to vaccine administration, patient education, and workflow optimization, particularly in community pharmacies. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated their involvement in immunization programs. Key challenges include regulatory barriers, a lack of standardized training, and resistance from other healthcare professionals. Facilitators include legislative support (e.g., the PREP Act), structured training programs, and collaborative pharmacist–technician models. Pharmacy technicians can play a vital role in expanding immunization services, improving vaccine uptake, and reducing pharmacist workload. Addressing regulatory inconsistencies, enhancing training, and fostering interprofessional collaboration are crucial for their effective integration of immunization programs. Since immunization by pharmacy technicians is not yet allowed in many EU countries, this review will provide a foundational basis to address their potential to support the healthcare workforce and improve access to immunization services.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipErasmus+ programme of the European Union (2024-1-BE01-KA210-VET-000251165)
dc.identifier.citationValeiro, C., Silva, V., Balteiro, J., Patterson, D., Bezerra, G., Mealiff, K., Matos, C., Jesus, Â., & Joaquim, J. (2025). Pharmacy technicians in immunization services: Mapping roles and responsibilities through a Scoping Review. Healthcare, 13(15), 1862. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151862
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/healthcare13151862
dc.identifier.eissn2227-9032
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/32211
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.relation.hasversionhttps://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/15/1862
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectPharmacy technician
dc.subjectImmunization services
dc.subjectImmunization
dc.subjectPublic health
dc.titlePharmacy technicians in immunization services: Mapping roles and responsibilities through a Scoping Revieweng
dc.typeresearch article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue15
oaire.citation.titleHealthcare
oaire.citation.volume13
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameJesus
person.givenNameÂngelo
person.identifier.ciencia-idA91F-3585-4F42
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-3972-8253
person.identifier.ridA-4404-2012
person.identifier.scopus-author-id56153841300
relation.isAuthorOfPublication1cbff3da-9800-4bd7-8d84-fd8d9ca819b2
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery1cbff3da-9800-4bd7-8d84-fd8d9ca819b2

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