Talking Vaccines with Pharmacist Brian Hunt
Brian Hunt Pharmacy Manager Del Norte Pharmacies and Home Medical Equipment of Santa Fe 1691 Galisteo St. 505.988.9797 www.delnortepharmacy.com
“O
ne of the great things about New Mexico is pharmacists have the ability to prescribe the vaccines you might need,” says Brian Hunt, Pharm.D, the manager at Del Norte Pharmacy and Home Medical Equipment of Santa Fe. “Instead of having to go to the doctor first, you can come directly to us and speak with one of the pharmacists about what is recommended for you.” Eliminating a doctor visit not only saves you time, but can often lead to a great personal experience with a knowledgeable pharmacist. Independently owned pharmacies like Del Norte are able to offer greater personalized service to their customers. They place a large emphasis on customer interaction and take the extra time to
explain everything to you and hear your questions, rather than pushing you out the door as quickly as possible like some of the larger chains are known to do. One of the most common vaccines administered at Del Norte is the flu shot. “The flu shot is such an important preventative tool, especially for older people or those with chronic health complications like diabetes or pulmonary diseases,” Hunt explains. “One of the biggest misconceptions about the flu shot is that it might give you the flu. It absolutely will not and those who do get sick later on generally experience a much more mild illness.” Another common concern centers on the mercury based preservative used in some vaccines called thimerosal. “Although thimerosal has been shown to be safe, we think it is important to address all of our patients’ concerns. Thus, we only carry thimerosal-free flu vaccines,” explains Hunt. This is just another example of the high standard of personal care and knowledge independent pharmacies like Del Norte are known for.
Shingles is another important vaccine to consider. Shingles comes from the virus that causes chickenpox, so anyone who has had had chickenpox is at risk of getting this painful disease. According to Hunt, about one in three people will get it in their lifetime and some of them will develop serious complications. Many people who get shingles are hospitalized or develop long-term complications like post-herpetic neuralgia; an often painful disorder that lingers even after the disease has gone. The shingles vaccine can be prescribed right in the pharmacy for people 60 years of age and older and is now covered by all Medicare Part D plans. There is no need to visit the doctor beforehand. Hunt adds there is a newly recommended pneumonia vaccine, Prevnar 13. Those who have already received the other pneumonia shot, Pneumovax 23, are recommended to get this one as well. All of these vaccines are administered at Del Norte and their friendly pharmacists can help you determine which ones are right for you.