Government of New Brunswick

Pharmacist Administered Publicly Funded Seasonal Influenza Vaccine (2020-21)

For the 2020-2021 influenza season, the Department of Health will be offering a Universal Seasonal Influenza Program at no cost to New Brunswick residents. Pharmacists who have completed training and have been authorized by the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists to administer injections may administer the publicly funded seasonal influenza vaccine.

Vaccines must be administered by an authorized pharmacist. Claims for vaccinations administered by other health care professionals, such as nurses hired for pharmacy clinics, are not eligible.

Licensed pharmacists, who are certified for immunization, can provide vaccine to all New Brunswick residents with the exception of children under 5 years of age. For more information, please refer to the following links:

The seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine for 2020-2021, as per the recommendations by the World Health Organization for northern hemisphere, contains:

  • an A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus;
  • an A/Hong Kong/2671/2019 (H3N2)-like virus;
  • a B/Washington/02/2019 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and
  • a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.

Please be advised that publicly funded influenza vaccines for the 2020-2021 include the following products:

The seasonal trivalent influenza vaccines for use in the 2020 – 2021, as per the recommendations by the World Health Organization for northern hemisphere contain:

  • an A/Guangdong-Maonan/SWL1536/2019 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus;
  • an A/Hong Kong/2671/2019 (H3N2)-like virus; and
  • a B/Washington/02/2019 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus

The following will be offered to residents aged 65 years and older living in long-term care facilities (licensed nursing homes and adult residential facilities). For the 2020-2021 influenza season, vaccination services for residents of adult residential facilities are being planned to include the New Brunswick Extramural Program working in collaboration with other partners. Providers will access this vaccine directly through Central Serum Depot.:

Flulaval® Tetra and Fluzone® Quadrivalent are supplied in 10 dose vials. Fluzone® Quadrivalent pre-filled syringes are also available in limited quantities. FLUZONE® High-Dose is supplied in pre-filled syringes.
 

Claim Submission

The seasonal influenza vaccine must be administered to qualifying residents between October 1st and July 31st to be eligible. A patient profile should be set up as for any client and must include the vaccine recipient's name and address, Medicare number, date of birth and gender, date the vaccine was administered and the name and lot number of the vaccine. Claims must include the following information:
 

Field Information Required
Patient ID Patient’s NB Medicare number.  (Note: this also applies to New Brunswick Drug Plans beneficiaries.)
Plan

“I” Note: this also applies to New Brunswick Drug Plans beneficiaries.
Prescriber ID New Brunswick College of Pharmacists Licence Number of the pharmacist administering the vaccine.
Prescriber ID Reference Code 46
Drug
 Fluzone® Quadrivalent pre-filled syringes, DIN: 02420643
Fluzone® Quadrivalent multi dose vial, DIN: 02432730
FluLaval™Tetra multi dose vial, DIN: 02420783
Drug Cost Zero
Dispensing Fee $12.00

Note: Regulation 2009-136, section 14 under the Public Health Act requires that those who administer a vaccine provide the recipient with a record of the immunization.  A computer generated prescription receipt would satisfy this requirement.
 

NEW Influenza Vaccine Ordering Process for Pharmacies:

New Brunswick’s influenza vaccine is expected to arrive in October. All orders will be reviewed to ensure equitable distribution to all health care providers. Priority groups will be established for supply distribution to ensure that individuals at highest risk receive vaccine first (i.e. hospitals, long-term facilities, etc.)

In the past years, manufacturers supplying Canada with influenza vaccine have experienced shortages or delays in the delivery of their vaccines for various reasons, which are beyond the control of the provinces and territories. To allow for sufficient time to deliver this year’s influenza vaccine to your facility/clinic, do not schedule your immunization clinics before you have received the vaccine. Also, New Brunswick receives a percentage of the overall influenza vaccine order for the season in four or more shipments over several weeks, so you will not receive 100% of your vaccine order in the beginning.
 

Distribution Group

Ordering Process

Comments

Hospital pharmacies (including designated sub-depots)
  • Place vaccine orders for patients and staff with McKesson Canada on Pharmaclik using the McKesson Item Number.
  • McKesson will communicate the details of the promotion to the customers through Pharmaclik in mid-August.
  • Each unit contains 10 doses (see product information below).
  • Effective October 1, 2020 the Department of Health will no longer be invoicing the Regional Health Authorities for influenza used for their staff immunization
  • Designated hospital sub-depots no longer use the Public Health Information Solution (PHIS) to order influenza vaccine

Community pharmacies (including designated sub-depots and excluding Shoppers Drug Mart)
  • Place vaccine orders with McKesson Canada on Pharmaclik using the McKesson Item Number.
  • McKesson will communicate the details of the promotion to the customers through Pharmaclik in mid-August.
  • Each unit contains 10 doses (see product information below)
  • Designated community sub-depots no longer use the Public Health Information Solution (PHIS) to order influenza vaccine.
  • For assistance or questions please call 1-800-565-7821 to speak to a McKesson Customer Service Specialist.
  • Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies
  • Place vaccine orders with the Matrix Distribution. Centre using the item UPC
  • Each unit contains 10 doses (see product information below)
  • Designated community sub-depots no longer use the Public Health Information Solution (PHIS) to order influenza vaccine.

Note: If you have already submitted your order to Central Serum Depot, you will need place your order as per the above process.

 

Product Information for pharmacies ordering from McKesson

Supplier

Product name

 Product
Number

McKesson
Item Number

Sanofi Pasteur

Fluzone (Multidose vial)

 

136181

153899 – generic item# which will substitute to available product.

Sanofi Pasteur

Fluzone (Prefilled syringe)

GSK

FluLaval Tetra (Multidose vial)

Product Information for pharmacies ordering from Matrix (Shoppers Drug Mart)

Supplier

Product name

DIN

Sanofi Pasteur

Fluzone (Multidose vial)

2432730

Sanofi Pasteur

Fluzone (Prefilled syringe)

2420643

GSK

FluLaval Tetra (Multidose vial)

2420783

Please note: it is important for pharmacies to ensure they have adequate storage capacity and conditions for the vaccine prior to submitting an order.

Pharmacy Audits

  • Payments made for fees that do not comply with this policy are subject to audit and recovery.
  • Claims for vaccines administered by a health professional other than a pharmacist are not eligible and are subject to audit and recovery.