IMA matters

Last month, a Travel Health CPD document was published on BootsLive. This document focuses on yellow fever vaccination and is an opportunity for pharmacists to refresh their knowledge on this subject. Practical advice is offered for holding benefit/risk of vaccination conversations with travellers, and contains helpful background information about the role of the Commission on Human Medicines review, which was held in 2019.

The Knowmalaria app has recently been updated to include links to NaTHNaC’s yellow fever vaccine recommendation maps. Use the maps to determine if the traveller will be visiting a risk area during their trip. When you click on a link, it will open on a separate tab so that you are able to toggle between the Knowmalaria app and the relevant map(s).

Pharmacists are reminded that all travellers, including children, should be present for Malaria Prevention Service and Travel & Vaccination Advice Service consultations. For the safe prescribing of antimalarials, a traveller’s weight and date of birth should be recorded accurately in the KnowMalaria traveller record. 

If the traveller is not present in the store for a consultation, their representative can be reminded about our online Malaria Prevention Service. The pharmacist may also, if appropriate, consider making an over-the counter sale of an antimalarial medication.