Amazon Pharmacy: distraction or disruption?

After years of anticipation about Amazon's rumored entry into pharmacy, Amazon Pharmacy launched in November 2020. What is yet to be understood is whether this new Amazon offering is a true market disruption capable of upending the pharmacy industry. This commentary describes the epic rise of Amazon from bookseller to retail giant, leading to its entry into the retail pharmacy space. Amazon Pharmacy's business model is described and its potential for industry disruption discussed.

Perspectives Associated with Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Adults: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND: In the last several decades, vaccine hesitancy has become a significant global public health concern. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been on the United States of America (USA) market since 2006, with extended approval up to age 45 granted in 2018. To date, there is limited research evaluating barriers and facilitators related to HPV vaccine initiation among adults and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals' vaccine-related behaviors. This study's main objective was to characterize the contributing factors that could promote or inhibit HPV vaccine uptake for adults. METHODS: A qualitative approach consisting of focus group discussions (FGDs) was used for this study. The FGD guide was informed by concepts from the Transtheoretical Model, Health Belief Model, and Social Cognitive Theory. All virtual FGDs were led by two researchers, who recorded audio for data collection. The data were transcribed by a third party, and the transcripts were imported into Dedoose® software and analyzed using the six steps recommended by thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 35 individuals participated in 6 focus groups over a 6-month period. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) Intrinsic motivators for HPV vaccination, (2) Extrinsic motivators for HPV vaccination, (3) Vaccine promotion strategies, and (4) Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION: Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors play a role in influencing HPV vaccine uptake, and such considerations can guide efforts to improve the odds of HPV vaccination in working-age adults.

Pharmacists as important prescribers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) antivirals.

Although pharmacists are key members of the healthcare team, they are currently ineligible to independently prescribe the oral coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) antivirals. We report the roles pharmacists have undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide evidence for the support of independent oral COVID-19 antiviral prescribing.

Availability of the HPV Vaccine in Regional Pharmacies and Provider Perceptions Regarding HPV Vaccination in the Pharmacy Setting.

There is increasing support for HPV vaccination in the pharmacy setting, but the availability of the HPV vaccine is not well known. Additionally, little is known about perceptions of medical providers regarding referring patients to community pharmacies for HPV vaccination. The purpose of this study was to determine HPV vaccine availability in community pharmacies and to understand, among family medicine and obstetrics-gynecology providers, the willingness of and perceived barriers to referring patients for HPV vaccination in a pharmacy setting. HPV vaccine availability data were collected from pharmacies in a southern region of the United States. Family medicine and obstetrics-gynecology providers were surveyed regarding vaccine referral practices and perceived barriers to HPV vaccination in a community pharmacy. Results indicated the HPV vaccine was available in most pharmacies. Providers were willing to refer patients to a community pharmacy for HPV vaccination, despite this not being a common practice, likely due to numerous barriers reported. Pharmacist-administered HPV vaccination continues to be a commonly reported strategy for increasing HPV vaccination coverage. However, coordinated efforts to increase collaboration among vaccinators in different settings and to overcome systematic and legislative barriers to increasing HPV vaccination rates are still needed.

A social media microinfluencer intervention to reduce coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine hesitancy in underserved Tennessee communities: A protocol paper.

BACKGROUND: Central to effective public health policy and practice is the trust between the population served and the governmental body leading health efforts, but that trust has eroded in the years preceding the pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy among adults is also a growing concern across the United States. Recent data suggest that the trustworthiness of information about the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine was a larger concern than the vaccine's adverse effects or risks. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the methods used to create a public health microinfluencer social media vaccine confidence campaign for the COVID-19 vaccine in underserved Tennessee communities. A secondary objective is to describe how the Social-Ecological Model (SEM) and Social Cognitive Theory may address vaccine hesitancy using community pharmacies. METHODS: In late 2020, 50 independent community pharmacies in underserved communities across Tennessee were involved in a public health project with the State of Tennessee Department of Health and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. The project involved a 3-pronged, pharmacy-based COVID-19 vaccination outreach project, including (1) social media messaging (i.e., microinfluencer approach), (2) community partner collaboration, and (3) in-pharmacy promotion. Quantitative and qualitative data will assess the quality and effectiveness of the program. Social media outcomes will also be assessed to measure the impact of the microinfluencer social media training. RESULTS: Project implementation is planned for 6 months (January 2021 to June 2021) after an initial month of planning by the research team (December 2020) and preceding several months of assessment (July 2021 and beyond). CONCLUSIONS: Novel, theory-based approaches will be necessary to improve vaccine confidence. One approach to promoting public health, derived from the SEM, may be to use trusted microinfluencers on social media platforms, such as local community pharmacists and community leaders.

Pharmacy Technicians, Stigma, and Compassion Fatigue: Front-Line Perspectives of Pharmacy and the US Opioid Epidemic.

The opioid epidemic in the United States has led to a quadrupling of opioid overdoses since the 1990s. Stigmas exist among healthcare professionals, and it is essential to educate the next generation of pharmacy technicians regarding opioid use disorder. The main objective of this study was to characterize the phenomenon of stigma through the pharmacy technician lens when taking care of patients who are using opioid medications. Grounded in Van Manen's phenomenological approach and the Link and Phelan stigmatization model, a qualitative study was conducted from February to June 2020 to understand pharmacy technicians' perceptions and attitudes towards patients using opioid medications. Focus groups (n = 46) with pharmacy technicians were conducted in-person and online over five months in 2020. Thematic analysis identified three themes that characterize the stigma and the relationship between pharmacy technicians and patients taking opioid medications: (1) pharmacy technician perspectives on stigma and patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (2) current approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (3) future approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior. The findings highlight an "ever-present" negative connotation associated with the stigma that is formed from patient interaction. It is necessary to develop proper resources and educational materials to manage the stigma that exists in pharmacies throughout the nation. These resources will facilitate how to address and prevent the stigma among pharmacy technicians in the U.S.

Factors influencing likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination: A survey of Tennessee adults.

PURPOSE: To examine the vaccine-related beliefs and behaviors associated with likely hesitancy toward vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among nonelderly adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June 2020. Responses were sought from Tennessee adults 18 to 64 years of age who were not healthcare providers. The survey instrument focused on vaccine-related beliefs, prior and planned influenza and pneumococcal vaccine use, and attitudes toward receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. Inferential statistics assessed survey responses, and logistic regression determined predictors of the likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination. RESULTS: A total of 1,000 completed responses were analyzed (a 62.9% response rate), and respondents were mostly White (80.1%), insured (79.6%), and/or actively working (64.2%); the sample was well balanced by gender, age, income, and political leaning. Approximately one-third (34.4%) of respondents indicated some historical vaccine hesitancy, and only 21.4% indicated always getting a seasonal influenza vaccination. More than half (54.1%) indicated at least some hesitancy toward vaccination against COVID-19, with 32.1% citing lack of evidence of vaccine effectiveness as the leading reason. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was more likely among those with more moderate (odds ratio [OR], 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.749-3.607) or conservative (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 2.048-4.421) political leanings, Black Americans (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.182-2.742), and residents of nonmetropolitan areas (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.386-2.865). CONCLUSION: Subgroups of the population may prove more challenging to vaccinate against COVID-19, requiring targeted approaches to addressing hesitancy to ensure more-vulnerable populations are adequately covered.