Pharmacy Focus: Address Vaccine Hesitancy Through Outreach, Collaboration

Olivia Kinney, PharmD, a national pharmacy practice manager at Kroger, emphasized the importance of pharmacists addressing the growing issue of vaccine hesitancy. She noted that common reasons for hesitancy include concerns about adverse effects, misinformation, access barriers, and social/political influences. Kinney advised that pharmacists can build trust by actively listening to patients' concerns, providing relevant and consistent education, and leveraging their position as trusted healthcare providers. She highlighted the value of pharmacists is in collaborating with other community organizations to improve vaccine access and literacy. Overall, she encouraged pharmacists to take a proactive, relationship-building approach to addressing vaccine hesitancy and improving vaccination rates.