National Immunization Awareness Month: Pharmacists at the Forefront of Vaccine Education

August marks National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), a crucial time for pharmacists to step into a leading role in public health by promoting vaccine education and combating misinformation. As highly accessible healthcare professionals, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to address vaccine hesitancy and ensure patients, particularly adults, are up-to-date on their immunizations.

The Role of Pharmacists in MTM and Immunization

Vaccine recommendation and administration are key components of Medication Therapy Management (MTM). Pharmacists can provide this essential service through MTM consultations and community-wide vaccine programs. A study focusing on a pharmacist-led telephonic MTM program for underserved patients in Arizona highlighted this impact. Pharmacists conducted comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) and used this opportunity to inquire about patients’ immunization status.

Vaccine counseling proved to be one of the most frequent recommendations, with pharmacists advising on pneumonia (45%), influenza (37%), COVID-19 (29%), and shingles (24%) vaccines. However, the study also revealed a challenge: only 19% of these recommendations were accepted by primary care providers, underscoring the need for better communication and a more integrated approach to patient care among healthcare professionals.

Countering Misinformation with Motivational Interviewing

In an era of widespread vaccine misinformation, pharmacists can be a powerful force for change. The article champions the use of motivational interviewing, a conversation-based approach designed to build trust and address patient concerns directly. This method follows a four-step strategy:

Engage: Create a safe, non-judgmental space for the patient to talk about their concerns.
Understand: Listen to the patient’s perspective and identify what matters most to them about vaccines.
Offer Information: Employ the “ask-offer-ask” technique. Start by asking what the patient already knows, then offer factual information to counter any misinformation, and finally, ask for their thoughts on the new information.
Clarify and Accept: Respect the patient’s decision, but if they are ready, work with them to create a plan for getting immunized.

This approach has been shown to be effective. A study using the Motivational Interviewing Tool to Improve Vaccine Acceptance (MOTIVE) found that among 362 encounters with vaccine-hesitant patients, 35.4% ultimately received a vaccine, and another 26% planned to. The main reasons for hesitancy were concerns about safety (39%), coordination of care (31.5%), and efficacy (30.4%).

Addressing Global Health Threats

Pharmacists’ roles are particularly critical in the face of public health threats like the ongoing measles outbreaks. With 1,319 measles cases reported in the U.S. as of July 22, 2025, pharmacists can help prevent further spread by providing education and administering the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The CDC’s updated guidance for international travelers, issued in May 2025, now strongly recommends all adult travelers have two doses of the MMR vaccine or documented immunity. This documentation can be in the form of vaccine records, laboratory evidence of immunity, confirmation of previous infection, or birth in the U.S. before 1957.