Nurses in France are now allowed to administer vaccinations against 15 diseases without a prior medical prescription, a new decree published today (April 23) states.
The law comes three months after the country’s health service quality regulator Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) recommended the measure.
It means they can now give vaccinations to anyone aged 16 and over “for whom these vaccinations are recommended”.
It includes vaccinations against: influenza, rabies, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough (pertussis), human papillomavirus, pneumococcus, hepatitis (A and B) and meningococcus (A, B, C, Y and W).
The law also states that pharmacists can administer the same vaccinations under the same conditions, but only if the patient has a medical prescription.
Finally, midwives are also now allowed to prescribe and carry out these vaccinations on pregnant women, newborns and people living in their households or close social circles.
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