Analysis of vaccination practice in community pharmacies: a cross-section study from Brazil

Objective: To analyze the practice of vaccination services in community pharmacies in Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in Brazil, between January 2020 and December 2021, with a pharmacy network composed of 400 stores distributed in 10 Brazilian states. Data were collected from the institutional database, called Clinicar Rx®, which has the entire monitoring, follow-up, and management process of existing pharmaceutical services in establishments. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results: 2,981 doses of vaccines were applied from 2020 to 2021 in 18 establishments in Brazil. The state that had the highest number of vaccinations was São Paulo. The most sought-after vaccine was Influenza with 2,934 doses administered. Conclusion: It was found that the vaccination service in pharmacies is evolving, and the pharmaceutical professional has a fundamental role in this process, being able to contribute to the access and increase of vaccination coverage rates in the country.