California Board of Pharmacy: Vaccine Administration Update

Board of Pharmacy News Roundup – November 2025 Welcome to the monthly News Roundup fro m the California State Board of Pharmacy. To receive more details on an y of the informatio n reported here, click on the Board’s website, ww w.pharma cy.ca.gov. Upcoming Meeting: ALL meetings are open to the public; all are encouraged to attend. Please check https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/ for meeting dates and times. Recent Developments Related to Vaccines Changes to pharmacist authority related to vaccine administration enacted by Assembly Bill 1503 (Berman, Chapte r 196, S tatut es of 2025). AB 1503 w as sign ed by Governor Newsom and will take effec t on January 1, 202 6. Under the provisions established in AB 1503, phar macist authority to independently initiate and administer vaccines for persons three years of age and older will transition to a standard of care practice model. Such an app roach is consistent with other health care practitioners with similar practice authority. I n anticipation of this change, the Board encourages pharmacists to begin the transition to a standard of care practice model for immuniza tions for patients three years old and older. The Board also reminds pharmacists that Business and Professions Code section 4052(a)(11) currently provides a pharmacist with the authority t o administer immunizations to any person, regardless of a ge, pursuant to a protocol with a prescriber. This curren t authority will exist until January 1, 2026, when AB 150 3 takes effect. West Coast Health Alliance In September, the West Coast Hea lth Alliance was launched for residents of California, Oregon, Washington, and Haw aii regarding who should receive immunizations. On September 17, the Calif ornia Department of Public Health announced official immunization recommendations in accordance with this Alliance. Recent enactment of Assembly Bill 144 (Committee on B udget, Chapter 105, Statutes of 2025) provides authority for pharma cists to independently initiate and administer to individuals three years of age or o lder an immunization that, on January 1, 2025, had in effect an ACIP re commendation and that is

recommended by the Califo rnia Department of Public Health. This authority became effective on September 17, 2025, and provides separate and independent authority (complementing other current and forthcoming authorities) for pharmacists to administer vaccines. AB 144 also contains pro visions related to Medi - Cal coverage of vaccines and immunizations. Learn more about Medi - Cal cover age of vaccines here. California Albuterol and Epinephrine Standing Orders for Schools California schools are authorized to stock unassigned albuterol metered - dose inhalers (MDIs), single - use disposable spacers, and epinephrine auto - injectors for emergency use. The California Department of Public Health (CDP H) has issued statewide standing orders that enable all Ca lifornia TK – 12 public, charter, and private schools, as well as local education agencies (school districts), and county offices of education, to ob tain MDIs and singl e- use disposable spacers, as well as epinephrine auto - injectors without an independent physician's prescription. Standing orders are issued to schools und er the name of the school a nd medications are not assigned to any spe cific student or staff. To learn more about program eligibility, training requirements, and how scho ols can apply or renew, please visit the CDP H website or contact the Office of Schoo l Health at SafeSch oolsTea m@cdph.ca.go v California Medication Error Reporting (CAMER) Register with ISMP to repo rt medication errors to the Califo rnia Medication Error Reporting (CAMER) system. Medication erro rs that occur on or after September 1, 2025, must be reported to the CAMER system. For info rmation on how to register with ISMP’s medication error reporting program, click here https://mederr ors.ismp.o rg/. For technical issues please email clientservices@ecri.org. FAQs regarding medication error repo rting can be found here. Report a Drug Theft/Drug Loss Online Portal The Board of Pharmacy has implemented a new o nline portal to repo rt a drug theft/drug loss of controlled substances. Submissions via the o nline portal will ensure that the board is receiving all requir ed information pertaining to

California Code of Regulations, Title 16, §17 15.6. Although not required, we encourage using the new online porta l for future reporting. Please use link below. https://ww w.pharma cy.ca.gov /webap plication s/apps/drug loss/in dex.shtml PIC Training Webinar A Pharmac ist -in- Charge training webinar is available o n the California State Board of Pharm acy webs ite. This webinar provides an overv iew of pharmacy law related to the position and the responsibility of a pharmacist when as sociating as the Pharmacist -in- Charge of a licensed facility. One hour of CE will be a warded for completing the webinar training; however, it does not co unt toward the required 2 hours of C E for Law and Ethics. To take this course yo u must sign up for a PharmED account. Click here to sign up for an account or use this link: https://pharmed.thinkific.com/ ### <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/https:/www.pharmacy.ca.gov/webapplications/apps/drugloss/index.shtml*20;JQ!!Em4Sr2I!MzWVHbkWcAL0bSmMp1gAb5yZRmBT5qL8bfCaXeYkpSCw4uvzOQmYi7VAaXQYGB3EhWBXjTYdlBA57yt4HM5mpLB1pyW9BJgHanM-XGt9h2T8U6E$"> <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/https:/pharmed.thinkific.com/collections;!!Em4Sr2I!KQ06B-a7N0e5Ubu10P7VujJ0mP9U5wAhDXLGn8Pqj2n4oVDvSarYDMK3XQIrWstALIP9oKQ2xfk-lM-IJNr-FKCihzhqgtvHmndgN7EPiz5b0$"> <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/https:/pharmed.thinkific.com/_;!!Em4Sr2I!KQ06B-a7N0e5Ubu10P7VujJ0mP9U5wAhDXLGn8Pqj2n4oVDvSarYDMK3XQIrWstALIP9oKQ2xfk-lM-IJNr-FKCihzhqgtvHmndgN7EETVlvaw$">