At least four U.S. states—Missouri, Kansas, Maryland, and Vermont—have simultaneously introduced or advanced legislation expanding the authority of pharmacists to prescribe, order, or administer influenza vaccines and treatments.
The legislative push comes as governments, health agencies, and pharmaceutical companies are rapidly scaling up influenza pandemic infrastructure, including new vaccine platforms, stockpiling programs, and mass vaccination delivery systems.
The bills collectively move influenza vaccination and treatment authority into pharmacy-based systems governed by statewide protocols, standing orders, and regulatory rulemaking.
Pharmacies became the backbone of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
These new bills appear to codify that emergency model permanently—specifically for influenza.
The legislation is advancing across the states within the same narrow time frame.
Vermont introduced H.545 on January 6 and has already passed it through the House.
Kansas introduced HB2676 on February 3 and passed it 95–27 before sending it to the Senate.
Maryland introduced SB773 on February 6 and advanced it out of committee March 9.
Missouri’s SB878, prefiled December 1, also moved forward March 9 after clearing committee and being placed on the Senate calendar.
Follow us on Instagram @realjonfleetwood & Twitter/X @JonMFleetwood.
If you value this reporting, consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
For advertising & sponsorship opportunities, contact us by clicking below.
Missouri Expands Pharmacist Influenza Therapy Authority
Missouri’s Senate Committee Substitute for SB 878 allows pharmacists with special certification to provide influenza medication therapy services under rules established by regulators rather than physician orders.
The legislation was introduced by Senator Travis Fitzwater (R-10).
Campaign finance records (here, here) show Sen. Fitzwater has received donations from healthcare industry groups—including the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Hospital Association—sectors that stand to financially benefit from expanded pharmacy-based influenza treatment and vaccination programs.
The bill states:
“A pharmacist with a certificate of medication therapeutic plan authority may provide influenza… medication therapy services pursuant to rules established by the board of pharmacy and the state board of registration for the healing arts.”
This allows regulators to create statewide rules enabling pharmacists to manage influenza therapy.
Kansas Allows Pharmacists to Initiate Influenza Treatment
Kansas lawmakers in the state’s House Health and Human Services Committee introduced HB 2676, permitting pharmacists to initiate treatment for influenza directly through statewide protocols.
The legislation states:
“A pharmacist may initiate therapy… for the following health conditions: (1) Influenza; (2) streptococcal pharyngitis; or (3) urinary tract infection.”
Under the bill, a statewide advisory committee would establish treatment protocols defining medications, patient screening tools, documentation requirements, and referral procedures.
This effectively places pharmacists into a frontline role initiating influenza treatment protocols without a physician visit.
Maryland Authorizes Pharmacists to Order Influenza Vaccines
Maryland’s SB 773 expands pharmacist authority beyond administering vaccines to ordering them as well.
It was introduced by Senator Malcolm Augustine (D-47).
The bill authorizes pharmacists to order influenza vaccines for patients starting at age three.
The legislation states:
“A pharmacist may order a vaccination for or administer a vaccination to an individual who is at least 3 years old if the vaccine is… an influenza vaccine.”
Vaccinations ordered or administered by pharmacists must also be reported to the state’s ImmuNet vaccination registry.
Vermont Creates Statewide Immunization Command Structure
Vermont’s H.545, which has already passed the House, establishes a sweeping state immunization system controlled by the Department of Health.
The legislation authorizes the state health commissioner to issue official immunization recommendations and standing orders authorizing pharmacists and other health professionals to administer them.
It was introduced by Representatives Theresa Wood (D-Washington-Chittenden, seat 91) and Alyssa Black (D-Chittenden-24).
The bill states:
“The Commissioner may issue a standing order authorizing health care professionals, including pharmacists, to prescribe, dispense, or administer recommended immunizations.”
The program also requires health insurers to cover recommended immunizations with no co-payment, coinsurance, or deductible, ensuring the vaccines can be distributed statewide without cost barriers.
While pharmacists already had authority to administer influenza vaccines, H.545 embeds that existing “influenza vaccine immunization” authority into the bill’s new statewide immunization command structure overseen by the Health Commissioner.
Lockstep Legislative Expansion
The four bills expand pharmacy authority across every stage of influenza countermeasures:
• ordering influenza vaccines
• administering influenza vaccines
• prescribing influenza medications
• initiating influenza treatment protocols
• implementing statewide vaccination standing orders
Federal agencies, pandemic preparedness programs, and pharmaceutical companies are simultaneously accelerating work on avian influenza (“bird flu”) vaccines, including new self-amplifying mRNA platforms and rapid-deployment pandemic vaccine stockpiles.
Pharmacies delivered hundreds of millions of COVID-19 injections during the pandemic.
Now multiple states appear to be restructuring their laws to ensure the same mass-vaccination infrastructure is permanently in place for influenza.
Follow us on Instagram @realjonfleetwood & Twitter/X @JonMFleetwood.
If you value this reporting, consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
For advertising & sponsorship opportunities, contact us by clicking below.
They are doing a work around to keep RNA injections for Bird flu alive. Next week ACIP meets and my hope is they present the facts that zRNA is NOT safe and effective and a moratorium is put in place NOW!
And who administers possible life saving care if there is a bad reaction to these injections??