2- Tuesday Pharmacy Practice News – 14th December

1 – Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates Superior Protection to Pfizer Vaccine

• Although both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing documented infection, hospitalization, and death, the Moderna vaccine provides an increased level of protection, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
• The investigators said this was the first head-to-head comparison of the efficacy of the vaccines, examining health records of veterans who had received 1 of the 2 vaccines.
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine found to offer an increased level of protection, including a 21% reduced risk of documented infection and 41% lower risk of hospitalization.

Source: Pharmacy Times

2 – J&J Announces Preliminary Results of COVID-19 Booster Shot

• Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced preliminary results from an independent study, including a subset of participants from the Janssen-sponsored COV2008 study, showing that a booster shot of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine (Ad26.COV2.S), administered 6 months after a 2-dose primary regimen of BNT162b2, increased both antibody and T-cell responses.
• Administered 6 months after the 2-dose regimen of BNT162b2, boosting with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine shows a substantial increase in antibody and T-cell responses.
• These phase 2 data are reinforced by preliminary results from the UK COV-BOOST clinical study published in The Lancet, which showed that following primary vaccination with 2 doses of either BNT162b2 (n=106) or ChAdOx1 nCov-19 (n=108), a booster dose of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine increased both antibody and T-cell responses.

Source: Pharmacy Times

3 – Pharmacy-Led Prior Authorization Team Increased Approval Efficiency

• After the implementation of a pharmacy-led prior authorization (PA) team, there was an increased rate of prior authorization approvals and a decreased turnaround time, according to a study presented at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacist’s 2021 Midyear conference.
• The study investigators found that redistribution and standardization of PA processes within health systems allowed pharmacy technicians to reduce the burden on staff members from other roles.
• The results of the study showed the approval rate for PAs had increased from 61.5%, from the previous year, to 70.5% in 9 months, following the implementation of a PA team.
• The turnaround time also decreased from the previous year to the following 9 months after implementation of the PA team.

Source: Pharmacy Times

4- Longer Interval Between First, Second COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Dose Associated With Higher Antibody Levels

• A longer interval between first and second doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines results in a stronger immune response, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
• The investigators compared blood test results from a total of 186 paramedics, some of whom received their second dose less than 4 weeks after receiving the first, whereas others received second doses after 6 to 7 weeks.
• According to the investigators, these findings have implications for the global vaccination effort.
• The study suggests that widening the recommended vaccine dosing interval could lead to a stronger long-term immune response in individuals. Further, it could also facilitate faster community-level access to the first vaccine dose.

Source: Pharmacy Times

5 – Vaccine Errors Decrease Following Monthly Inspections, Process Standardization

• Monthly medical inspections, as well as standardizing vaccine screening and double verification methods in the ambulatory care environment, helped to reduce vaccine-related administration errors, according to a study presented at ASHP Midyear 2021.
• The investigators strongly recommended annual or biennial vaccine workflow re-education to promote standard workflows and prevent vaccine errors.
• The investigators aimed to address opportunities for improving vaccine administrative activities in the ambulatory care setting.

Source: Pharmacy Times

6 – Pharmacy Forecast Report Predicts Ongoing COVID-19 Impact in 2022

• Pharmacists will continue to become more involved in patient care, technology, and emergency preparedness next year, according to the 2022 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Forecast Report, which was released in advance of the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition.
• The report is intended as a strategic planning tool to help pharmacists and practitioners prepare for the upcoming year and how they can best position themselves for success, according to a press release.
• The new report notes that the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic may still impact the health care landscape, medication use, and the pharmacy profession over the next 5 years.
• Pharmacists’ roles in emergency preparedness will continue to grow, including in the development of plans for future disasters or emergencies such as pandemic outbreaks.

Source: Pharmacy Times

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