STUDY ON PHARMACISTS' AWARENESS ON VACCINATION IN PHARMACIES DURING WARTIME IN UKRAINE
Author(s)
Olha Zaliska, DSci, PharmD, PhD1, Oleksandr Semenov, PhD1, Zoryana Zabolotnya, PharmD, PhD1, Olha Brezden, PharmD2;
1Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Organization and Economy of Pharmacy, Drug Techology and Pharmacoeconomics, Lviv, Ukraine, 2International Organization for Migration (IOM — The UN Migration Agency), Krakow, Poland
1Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Organization and Economy of Pharmacy, Drug Techology and Pharmacoeconomics, Lviv, Ukraine, 2International Organization for Migration (IOM — The UN Migration Agency), Krakow, Poland
OBJECTIVES: In some Europe countries, in Canada influenza, COVID-19 vaccinations are providing by a pharmacist. In Ukraine, this practice is not yet available. Aim study was to conduct a survey of pharmacists regarding awareness on vaccination in a pharmacy during wartime.
METHODS: A survey of 205 pharmacists was conducted during September-December 2025 at the department using Google forms. Topic survey was regarding their willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 and influenza in a pharmacy.
RESULTS: We established that 29.5% experts were willing to vaccinate patients directly at a pharmacy. But 70.5% of pharmacists indicated reasons not agreeing to vaccinate patients in a pharmacy. There is 83.8% noted they would like to receive more information about the types of vaccines, side effects. Main reasons of disagreement to vaccinate in a pharmacy: undesirable side effects after injection 57%; fear and lack of pharmacist competence to perform injection 23%; emergence of additional job responsibilities 10%; low co-payment for vaccination 5%. Also pharmacists noted the main problems from patient's reluctance to be vaccinated at a pharmacy: low patient awareness about need for vaccination 41%; doubts about the professional competence of the pharmacist 36%; long way from the family doctor to the pharmacy 13%; fear of side effects after vaccination 10%; high cost of the vaccines 6%; unsuitability of pharmacy for vaccination 2%; ; uncertainty about the safety of vaccination 1%. We established that 188 pharmacists (83.8%) noted that they need to receive more information about all registered types of vaccines, side effects and emergency aid.
CONCLUSIONS: Our survey showed that only 30% pharmacists are ready to vaccinate in a pharmacy. So it is necessary to conduct a new postgraduate training for pharmacists about vaccination in a pharmacy and their new roles for prevention influenza and COVID-19 to improve the availability of vaccination during martial law in Ukraine.
METHODS: A survey of 205 pharmacists was conducted during September-December 2025 at the department using Google forms. Topic survey was regarding their willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 and influenza in a pharmacy.
RESULTS: We established that 29.5% experts were willing to vaccinate patients directly at a pharmacy. But 70.5% of pharmacists indicated reasons not agreeing to vaccinate patients in a pharmacy. There is 83.8% noted they would like to receive more information about the types of vaccines, side effects. Main reasons of disagreement to vaccinate in a pharmacy: undesirable side effects after injection 57%; fear and lack of pharmacist competence to perform injection 23%; emergence of additional job responsibilities 10%; low co-payment for vaccination 5%. Also pharmacists noted the main problems from patient's reluctance to be vaccinated at a pharmacy: low patient awareness about need for vaccination 41%; doubts about the professional competence of the pharmacist 36%; long way from the family doctor to the pharmacy 13%; fear of side effects after vaccination 10%; high cost of the vaccines 6%; unsuitability of pharmacy for vaccination 2%; ; uncertainty about the safety of vaccination 1%. We established that 188 pharmacists (83.8%) noted that they need to receive more information about all registered types of vaccines, side effects and emergency aid.
CONCLUSIONS: Our survey showed that only 30% pharmacists are ready to vaccinate in a pharmacy. So it is necessary to conduct a new postgraduate training for pharmacists about vaccination in a pharmacy and their new roles for prevention influenza and COVID-19 to improve the availability of vaccination during martial law in Ukraine.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
HSD107
Topic
Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Disease
SDC: Infectious Disease (non-vaccine), STA: Vaccines