Purpose

This bill aims to reduce shoulder injuries from vaccines and to expand who can administer vaccines. It adds required education and training for vaccine administration, requires a standardized prevention poster in health care settings, and makes targeted changes to dental and pharmacy practice to include more vaccine administration and related duties. It also sets up funding for the poster rollout.

Main Provisions

• SIRVA prevention poster

  • Health clinics, pharmacies, and other places where vaccines are given must display a poster about proper vaccine administration to prevent shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA). The poster must be created or approved by the commissioner of health and be visible to the public and to staff.

• Training on vaccine administration

  • Beginning July 1, 2026, health care personnel who administer vaccines must complete comprehensive competency-based training on vaccine administration.
  • Training must follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and cover: vaccine preparation, needle selection, site and route selection, and SIRVA as a potential serious complication.
  • After training, individuals must submit evidence of completion to the health-related licensing board that oversees their profession.

• Exceptions

  • The SIRVA training and poster requirements do not apply to veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, licensed veterinarians, or licensed veterinary technicians.

• Expanded vaccine administration by dentists

  • Vaccinations may be given by licensed dentists to eligible patients aged 16 and older, but only if the dentist has immediate access to emergency equipment (e.g., oxygen, epinephrine) and has completed an educational program on vaccine administration approved by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry.
  • The program must align with requirements in a specific section of statute and cover disease education, contraindications, intramuscular administration, risk/benefit communication, adverse event reporting, federal documentation requirements, and vaccine storage/handling.
  • Dentists giving vaccines must follow guidelines from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

• Pharmacists’ authority and duties

  • Pharmacists can initiate, order, and administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible individuals aged 3 and older, and other vaccines to those aged 6 and older, according to ACIP recommendations.
  • Pharmacists must have training that meets the specified section on vaccine administration. They may delegate vaccine administration to a pharmacy technician or intern if certain conditions are met (program approved by ACPE or the state board; use of Minnesota Immunization Information Connection, MIIC, to check immunization status; patient/caregiver counseling for minors; supervision rules for technicians; and completed immunization CE).
  • If a technician administers vaccines under supervision, the supervision must be in-person, the pharmacist must be readily available, the technician must be CPR certified, and the technician must complete approved training and continuing education as specified.

• Use of protocols and collaborative practice

  • Pharmacists may participate in initiating, managing, modifying, or discontinuing drug therapy under a written protocol or collaborative practice agreement with other health professionals (e.g., dentists, physicians, podiatrists, veterinarians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners).
  • Any changes to drug therapy under these arrangements must be documented in the patient’s medical record or reported to the patient’s care practitioner.

• Additional pharmacist capabilities

  • The bill outlines pharmacists’ roles in drug storage and record-keeping, patient counseling about drugs and devices, and other standard pharmacy services.
  • It also includes allowances for certain drug therapies administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously under protocol, interactions with HIV prevention strategies, and some lab testing connected to therapies.

• HIV prevention and related services

  • Pharmacists may be involved in prescribing, dispensing, and administering HIV-prevention-related therapies under specified conditions.

• Administrative and furnishing details

  • The bill emphasizes compliance with federal and state requirements for vaccine storage, handling, reporting, and documentation, plus the use of immunization information systems to track vaccines.

• Funding for the SIRVA poster

  • In the next fiscal year after enactment, there is a onetime general-fund appropriation to fund the poster creation/approval and its display in health care settings.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a formal definition and preventive measures for SIRVA (shoulder injury related to vaccine administration) and requires a prevention poster plus mandatory training for vaccinators.
• Expands who can administer vaccines to include dentists (with proper training and emergency equipment) and expands pharmacists’ authority to administer a broad range of vaccines nationwide, with specific training, reporting, and supervisory requirements.
• Establishes or strengthens protocols and collaborative practice agreements that allow pharmacists (and other providers) to initiate, modify, or discontinue drug therapy under defined agreements.
• Requires adherence to CDC/ACIP guidelines and MIIC reporting to ensure proper immunization records and safety monitoring.
• Funding is provided for a one-time poster-related program in FY 2027.

Timeline Highlights

• July 1, 2026: Required comprehensive training for health care personnel who administer vaccines.
• Ongoing: Poster display in all health care settings where vaccines are administered.
• Fiscal year 2027: One-time appropriation to fund the SIRVA prevention poster program.

Definitions Included

• SIRVA: Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration, as defined in federal regulations.

Implementation Context

• Aligns state requirements with federal guidance (CDC/ACIP/ACPE) and uses the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) for immunization tracking.
• Expands vaccine access while emphasizing safety training, reporting of adverse events, and proper storage/handling.

Relevant Terms SIRVA, shoulder injury related to vaccine administration; vaccine administration; CDC guidance; ACIP; ACPE; Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC); influenza vaccine; COVID-19 vaccine; SARS-CoV-2; vaccine storage and handling; adverse events; intramuscular administration; intramuscular and subcutaneous administration; immunization records; adverse event reporting; collaborative practice agreement; protocol; emergency equipment (oxygen, epinephrine); well-child visit; immunization status assessment; pharmacist technician/intern supervision; CPR certification; continuing pharmacy education (CE); vaccine education and counseling; disease prevention; program approved by Minnesota Board of Dentistry; educational program for dentists; federal requirements; immunization guidelines.