D.C. committee weighs making pharmacy vaccination authority permanent

The Committee on Health on Oct. 30 considered B26‑414, the Community Health Amendment Act of 2025, a bill that would permanently allow pharmacists and certified pharmacy technicians in the District to administer vaccines recommended by organizations designated by DC Health. Chair Christina Henderson opened the hearing and said the measure would codify emergency changes adopted in September after some pharmacy chains paused offering certain vaccines amid federal uncertainty.

Multiple physician witnesses told the committee the emergency measures worked and should be made permanent to preserve access. "Vaccines are safe, effective, and should be accessible to all people in the district without the burden of an additional physician visit," said Dr. Sarah Candler, a board‑certified internal medicine physician and representative of the DC chapter of the American College of Physicians. DC Health Director Ayanna Bennett said the department temporarily designated ACOG, AAP and AAFP in the public notice and is prepared to amend designations if warranted. "The recommendations for vaccines are generally updated annually," Bennett said when asked about the cadence of future notices.

Supporters told the committee pharmacies are the most common adult vaccination setting in the District and that the bill would reduce barriers for seniors, children and immunocompromised residents. The chair asked several implementation questions about how DC Health communicated the emergency notice to pharmacies and how the city will monitor vaccination rates and any program transfers. The hearing included a separate agenda item that followed on insurance coverage, which the bill itself does not change; agencies present said insurers had signaled continued coverage for recommended vaccines through 2026.