PSA welcomes TGA approval of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

25 January 2021

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia today welcomed the Therapeutic Goods Administration approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be rolled out as part of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

PSA President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said today’s TGA announcement was an historic step towards Australia’s national COVID-19 vaccination program. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will be administered at designated Pfizer Hubs across Australia.

A/Prof Freeman noted that while the Pfizer vaccine would not be administered in community pharmacies, pharmacist vaccinators may form a vital part of the vaccination workforce at these public health vaccination clinics.

“Pharmacists stand ready to administer COVID vaccines to the Australian community. Today’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine represents a significant step in Australia’s fight against COVID-19,” he said.

Community pharmacists are expected to administer other COVID-19 vaccines from Phase 2a when they become available.

“The government has indicated it will be approaching community pharmacies this week seeking to participate in this program, and PSA encourages pharmacists to take the opportunity to be at the frontline of this.

“Pharmacists are appropriately skilled and equipped to deliver these services as the roll out of Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy continues, including providing significant workforce and infrastructure capacity once other vaccines, such as the AstraZeneca vaccine, becomes available,” A/Prof Freeman said