Clinical Pharmacology & Biopharmaceutics
Open Access

Abstract

As a health care provider, the clinical pharmacists have played a role in promoting, maintaining, and improving immunization rates among children because the pharmacist is one of the most accessible healthcare professionals. The deficiencies in education and training on vaccines? efficacy and safety may contribute to low immunization rates and high immunization errors in the Malaysia. The aim of this study is to identify the impact of immunization workshop on pharmacist? knowledge regarding Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI). The immunization workshop was introduced among Malaysian clinical pharmacists. Validated knowledge questionnaires (10 questions) about immunization and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) were distributed before and after immunization workshop among clinical pharmacist in Pahang-Malaysia. The immunization workshop consist of: immunization and vaccine types in children and adult, schedule and timing, adverse reactions, contraindications, pharmacist?s role, immunization errors types, pharmacovigilance, and recommendations. A total of 90 pharmacists were analyzed. The majority of pharmacists were female (63, 70%). The mean ± standard deviation of pharmacists? knowledge scores before immunization workshop was 4.66±1.9, while the knowledge scores after immunization workshop was increased to be 7.86±1.62. Although the initiation of the new workshop requires additional resources and take time to develop and update the curriculum, we strongly advice Malaysian schools of pharmacy to mandate immunization education course and training as part of their core curriculum.

Biography

Omer Qutaiba B. Al-lela has completed his Ph.D. at the age of 32 years from University Science Malaysia USM in Clinical pharmacy. He is the course coordinator of Pharmacotherapuitics in KOP-IIUM. He has published more than 15 papers in reputed journals and serving as an editorial board member of PharmInform Journals.