Governor Sonny Perdue is encouraging pharmacists to continue to give flu shots as they have been. Perdue’s statement Thursday comes in response to the uncovered Georgia law that says a person must have a prescription to get a dose of flu vaccine, and pertains most specifically to pharmacists. The Governor says he wants healthcare professionals to act in the best health interests of Georgians, and that they have his support.
Ira Katz runs the Little Five Points pharmacy in Atlanta:
"They way I interpret this and the way I think of lot of my colleagues will interpret this is simply that we will continue to do business as we've done in the past, with the interests of our patients being first and foremost. And that we'll address it (the Georgia law) come January when the General Assembly meets".
Officials with the Georgia Pharmacy Association were happy to hear members would not face sanctions to continue giving flu shots as before. Stewart Griffin with the Association says the Governor's support is great, however:
"The Governor no matter what he says cannot waive us from civil liability...no-one can do that. I wish they could, but they couldn't, even if everything was perfect".
Some health organizations might not take the legal risk. Passport Health gives flu shots to large groups. It says it will now have someone on-site to write prescriptions. That move could raise the price of a flu shot by up to five dollars.
Ira Katz runs the Little Five Points pharmacy in Atlanta:
"They way I interpret this and the way I think of lot of my colleagues will interpret this is simply that we will continue to do business as we've done in the past, with the interests of our patients being first and foremost. And that we'll address it (the Georgia law) come January when the General Assembly meets".
Officials with the Georgia Pharmacy Association were happy to hear members would not face sanctions to continue giving flu shots as before. Stewart Griffin with the Association says the Governor's support is great, however:
"The Governor no matter what he says cannot waive us from civil liability...no-one can do that. I wish they could, but they couldn't, even if everything was perfect".
Some health organizations might not take the legal risk. Passport Health gives flu shots to large groups. It says it will now have someone on-site to write prescriptions. That move could raise the price of a flu shot by up to five dollars.
