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After the presentation, the bill was approved unanimously: 57 MPs out of 59 voters approved it, two members of the Seimas abstained.
As explained by the Minister of Health, Aurelijus Veryga, the purpose of these amendments is very simple: to advance the entry into force of the provisions adopted in June.
“The Seimas has already approved the possibility of vaccinating people with seasonal vaccines: influenza, tick-borne encephalitis. Now there is a new problem: infection by COVID-19,” said the minister.
It is proposed to provide in the bills that the provisions of the law that regulates the practice of personal health care of a biomedical technologist, medical biologist, geneticist and advanced practice pharmacist will come into effect on May 1 of next year, but on November 1 of this year.
“I wish, our proposal is November 1, of course, that date can be adjusted within reason,” he added.
Many people will need to get vaccinated soon
According to the minister, when the COVID-19 vaccine reaches Lithuania, it will soon be necessary to vaccinate a large number of people.
“We are thinking of a strategy to vaccinate large numbers of people quickly without overloading the health system. Because speed is important here, it is important that people do not gather in medical institutions, because there is enough work there anyway. This pharmacy is that place.
There are several pharmacies in Lithuania and if they were ready in time they could be used as a good network where people could get vaccinated against Covid. The flu could be vaccinated there next year.
Let’s go back, but universities have indicated that they are ready to train pharmacists, with 90 percent in ministry. the drafting of the statutes has been completed and I think we would really catch up if we were allowed to advance the date of adoption, ”said the Minister in the Seimas.
As highlighted in the bill’s explanatory memorandum, this would ensure the uninterrupted and timely provision of services such as adult vaccination.
The minister stressed that this would not be an obligation, vaccination can only be carried out by those pharmacies that are ready.
Currently, vaccines are only available in medical facilities
An advanced practice pharmacist could vaccinate the population against influenza, tick-borne encephalitis, and other infectious diseases at the pharmacy starting on that date.
“Currently, in order to get vaccinated, a person must wait in line for a family doctor, even when healthy, so the new procedure will allow for a faster vaccination, sometimes without even visiting a medical institution. We hope that in this way, vaccines will be more attractive to citizens who fear queuing at medical institutions, and that the workload will be distributed more equitably among health professionals, ”the explanatory note states.
Biomedical technologists, medical biologists and medical geneticists currently work in unlicensed laboratories (analyzing COVID-19 samples), so it would be convenient to accelerate the licensing of their activities by 6 months, thus creating the preconditions to improve the quality of the services provided by these specialists.
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