PREP Act Extended Through 2029!

Good news! The Public Readiness and Emergency Act (PREP Act) did not expire at the end of this year, according to a declaration published on December 11, 2024, by the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS). The declaration has extended the authority for pharmacists, pharmacy interns and pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines and test patients for COVID-19 through December 31, 2029.

Per HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, “COVID-19 continues to present a credible risk of a future public health emergency…Continued coverage under the PREP Act, as provided in this Declaration, is intended to prepare for and mitigate the credible risk presented by COVID-19. This includes extending the time period for PREP Act coverage for licensed pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and qualified technicians, which allows for continued access by the recipient Population to Covered Countermeasures that are COVID-19 vaccines, seasonal influenza vaccines, and COVID-19 tests”.

Included in the amended Declaration, Secretary Becerra recognizes the impact that pharmacies have had in mitigating the effects of the PHE, asserting “As stated in prior amendments to this Declaration, licensed pharmacists, pharmacy interns and qualified pharmacy technicians are well positioned to provide continued access to Covered Countermeasures, particularly in certain areas or for certain populations that have too few primary-care providers or that are otherwise medically underserved. As of 2022, nearly 90 percent of Americans lived within five miles of a community pharmacy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of Americans have received their COVID-19 vaccines and tests from a pharmacy. In addition, continued access by the Population to seasonal influenza vaccines mitigates risks that seasonal influenza infections, in conjunction with COVID-19 infections, could overwhelm healthcare providers.”

For more details on the extension of the PREP Act, you can read the published declaration on the Federal Register. Due to this extension, the November 2024 Third Amendment to the PREP Act Expiring Soon! is now outdated.

PAAS Tips:

• Review our September 2024 Newsline Article, Flu Shot Season – Are You Prepared? for a recap on what documentation is needed for a successful audit on your vaccine prescriptions

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Heaven Bennett, CPhT

Analyst at PAAS National^®

Fresh out of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do for my career. I took a job at Walgreens in the photo department in 2015. About a year into working in the photo department I was asked to help the pharmacy, and I immediately fell in love with how fulfilling being a pharmacy technician felt. I moved fully into the pharmacy, got my national certification, and worked my way up to becoming Senior Technician! In 2020, I accepted a job offer with a Kroger pharmacy location and worked there for two years. I attended vaccine clinics and got to see sides of the pharmacy I had never seen before. I was then offered a change in direction in 2022. I was lucky enough to work for a remote pharmacy company that helped independent pharmacies run a med sync service, as well as sending out safety alerts to providers in hopes of preventing accidental opioid overdosing and interactions. The connections I made at my previous jobs have brought me here, to PAAS! I am over the moon with excitement and look forward to helping your pharmacy!

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