ACCP, SIDP, IDSA, SHEA, and PPA Respond to HHS Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, COVID-19 Testing, and Immunity under the PREP Act

April 16, 2020

Lenexa, KS – April 16, 2020 The American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and Pediatric Pharmacy Association issued a response today to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, requesting increased attention to safety, accuracy, and reporting of COVID-19 testing in pharmacies.

The response follows the April 8, 2020, Health and Human Services (HHS) guidance under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act authorizing licensed pharmacists to order and administer FDA authorized COVID-19 tests, including serology tests, for the duration of the national public-health emergency declared January 31, 2020.

The leadership of HHS is applauded for calling on pharmacists to serve as members of the health care team in this emergency response effort, and for recognizing the central role of America’s pharmacies in providing front line services. In evaluating the guidance currently available from HHS and seeking to promote best practices, the organizations identified additional issues related to pharmacist and patient safety, test accuracy, and reporting of results that merit further HHS consideration.

Read the full response: www.accp.com/docs/HHS_COVID-19_TESTSAFETY.pdf