I, the undersigned, a concerned citizen and registered voter in the state of Ohio, request your support for the swift consideration and passage of H.B. 394 by the Ohio Senate.
50,000 adults and 300 children die in the United States each year from vaccine-preventable diseases and data shows there is a physician shortage in two-thirds of Ohio counties. Last year we saw a 20% increase in cases of whooping cough as compared to 2012. This year we saw an outbreak of measles. We must do everything we can to ensure Ohio’s children are not affected by preventable illnesses by increasing their ability to access vaccinations.
Pharmacists are medical professionals, highly trained in both the administration of vaccinations and the unlikely case of an adverse reaction. H.B. 394 will allow allows pharmacists and pharmacy interns working directly under the supervision of a pharmacist to administer Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended immunizations and lowers the minimum age of an individual who may receive an immunization from a pharmacist or pharmacy intern from 14 years old to 7 years and older.
Immunizations assist in preventing 14 million diseases and 33,000 deaths each year. By supporting this legislation you can help increase this number by providing citizens with increased access to immunizations.
The Ohio House of Representatives passed H.B. 394 by a vote of 82-7 on April 2nd, please follow their lead and support its favorable consideration by the Senate Medicaid, Health and Human Services Committee and passage by the full Senate.
