Starting April 15, 2022, Registered Pharmacists with the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia can administer drugs such as vaccines by injection to patients as young as age 4. This change comes as a result of an amendment to the College’s Standards, Limits, and Conditions on Drug Administration by Injection and Intranasal Route by the Board of Directors in February 2022.
Previously, the age limit was set to five years old, however these changes were determined to be in the public interest as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which required volunteer vaccinators including pharmacists to administer vaccines to the public. Pharmacies were a big part of the massive rollout of millions of vaccines doses across British Columbia, but children under 5 years could not be vaccinated by pharmacists.
In order to administer vaccines, pharmacists must go through a certification process and be trained in emergency measures. These measures also can help parents obtain vaccination prior to entering the public school system.