The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has commended the South Australian (SA) Government’s decision to expand the vaccination scope of pharmacists, calling on other states to follow suit.
Announced on 6 February 2025 by by the Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton MP, effective immediately, South Australian pharmacist immunisers can authorise and administer any vaccine within their individual scope of practice, including for the first time travel health vaccines for cholera, rabies and typhoid.
The SA Government has also removed age-based restrictions, improving accessibility.
PSA South Australia and Northern Territory President Dr Manya Angley FPS welcomes the move.
“South Australian pharmacists will be authorised to prescribe and administer vaccines from the same vaccine formulary as every other vaccinator – the Australian Immunisation Handbook,” says Dr Angley.
“This will dramatically improve access and convenience for South Australians.
“South Australia is leading the nation in scope of pharmacist-administered vaccines, a fact that we should be very proud of.”
‘The reforms are nation-leading’
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS describes the reforms as “nation-leading” and urges other jurisdictions to adopt the South Australian approach.
“Regulation should enable, rather than restrict good health care provision,” she says.
“This approach will unlock a new level of care, and should be the standard all other states and territories aspire to.
“PSA is advocating to regulators in every other Australian jurisdiction urging for alignment of these regulatory changes in each jurisdiction to unleash the potential of pharmacists in protecting the health and wellbeing of Australians.”
