A Hospital-Based Pharmacy Intervention Program for Pneumococcal Vaccination

Abstract

EACH YEAR disease due to Streptococcus pneumoniae accounts for 40000 deaths and more than $4 billion in treatment costs in the United States.^1,2 To lessen the impact from these infections, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) advocates pneumococcal vaccination for persons 2 years of age or older with chronic illness or immunosuppression and for all persons 65 years of age or older.² Based on these recommendations, at least 20% of the US population needs vaccination: 23 million persons with chronic illness and 33 million persons 65 years of age or older.³ Vaccination rates, however, have remained persistently low. Despite recent gains, the latest surveys indicate that only 28.7% of persons 65 years of age or older and 5% to 7% of younger persons with chronic illnesses or immunosuppression have been vaccinated.^4,5 These percentages lag well behind the Public Health Service–published goal of 60% pneumococcal (and influenza) vaccination rates among vaccine-eligible persons by the year 2000.² Finally, the rapid emergence of drug-resistant S pneumoniae organisms presents new therapeutic challenges for physicians and reemphasizes the need for aggressive promotion of pneumococcal vaccination.⁶