Pharm Report Issue No. 13

A newsletter to update clinic staff on current issues in healthcare

Issue XIII

Back to School Vaccination

School Entry Requirements and Meningococcal Vaccination

Meningococcal vaccination is officially a requirement for school entry in Wisconsin. Children entering 7th grade need their first dose of Men-ACWY and children entering 12th grade need to have their second dose of Men-ACWY. These vaccines have been recommended by CDC for years, but have only recently been required by the State of Wisconsin for school entry. (This requirement was initially intended to start for the 2023-2024 school year, but implementation was postponed until the 2024-2025 school year.)

There are 2 different types of meningococcal vaccines covering different serotypes of meningococcal disease: MenACWY and MenB. MenACWY (which has the trade names MenQuadfi and Menveo) is a ROUTINE recommendation and the one that is required for school entry in Wisconsin. It is a two-dose series given to children in teens. 

MenB vaccination (which has the trade names Trumemba, Bexsero) is recommended for high risk groups, such as immunocompromised people and those who are traveling to affected areas. It may be administered to people 16 through 23 years of age (with a preferred age of vaccination of 16 through 18 years) as part of a shared clinical decision-making process. This allows the clinician and patient to decide on MenB vaccination based on the risk and benefit for the individual patient.

For complete meningococcal vaccine recommendations, please visit the CDC website. 

HPV Vaccine: A CANCER Vaccine!

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes most cases of cervical cancer, and vaccination against HPV can prevent most cases of cervical cancer. The virus can cause penile cancer in men and anal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer in men and women. The CDC recommends that all children and adults 26 years of age and younger be vaccinated against HPV. The vaccine is routinely given as a 2 or 3 dose series between the ages of 9 and 12. This vaccine is not required for school entry in Wisconsin, however it is recommended by the CDC and thanks to the vaccine cervical cancer is the most preventable of all female cancers. 

The Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative’s HPV vaccination infographic is a great way for clinicians to talk with their patients and the parents of their patients about the importance of HPV vaccination. 

For details about the HPV vaccine, please visit the CDC website. 

Forward Pharmacy is pleased to offer HPV and meningococcal vaccination. For more information or to book an appointment, please visit our website. 

Prescription Tips

• For vaccines routinely recommended by the CDC, pharmacists do not need a prescription. For vaccination of children under the age of 3 and non-routine vaccination, prescriptions are required. 
• There are shortages with some inhaled corticosteroid products, so be prepared for requests for alternatives. 
• Insurance companies are increasing their scrutiny of prescriptions for diabetic supplies. Please overestimate the use of insulin, test strips, and lancets. If you verbally patient that they can test up to 4 times daily, put that on the prescription. For insulin, put the maximum number of units the patient could use in a day.  People drop strips, bend lancets, and lose a little bit of insulin, and we want to make sure they don’t run out.

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