A dispute over whether pharmacists should administer seasonal flu vaccines is being overshadowed by limited supplies, with only one injectable product expected in retail pharmacies and extra stock due in November.
The row over whether seasonal flu shots should be administered in pharmacies has exposed a wider problem in Bulgaria: a shortage of vaccines is already complicating access just as the autumn immunisation campaign gets under way. General practitioners and pharmacists are divided over the idea, with family doctors warning that vaccination is a medical procedure that should follow a prior consultation, while pharmacists argue that trained pharmacy staff could make the process faster and more accessible.
Gergana Nikolova, a family doctor quoted by NovaNews, said the injection should not be separated from a medical assessment, because a clinician needs to judge the patient’s condition and decide whether there are reasons to delay the jab or carry out further checks. Her position directly clashes with that of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union, which wants specially trained master pharmacists to be allowed to vaccinate patients in pharmacies. The union says that would reduce the burden on patients, shorten waiting times and bring Bulgaria closer to a practice already used in parts of Europe.
For now, however, the debate is being overtaken by supply constraints. According to Nikolova, the first 150,000 flu vaccines have already arrived in Bulgaria and are being distributed to general practice surgeries. She said her own practice had received its allocation and would begin vaccinating registered patients, urging people to be patient and to trust their family doctors. She also noted that it takes around two weeks for antibodies to develop after vaccination, leaving enough time before influenza begins spreading more widely.
Separate reports from Mediapool, Varna24 and other Bulgarian outlets indicate that the shortage is more severe than many patients expected. One of the two approved injectable vaccines, Influvac, will not be sold in pharmacies this season because of production difficulties, with available doses instead directed to national vaccination programmes. Other reports say only one injectable preparation will reach retail pharmacies, and that as few as 70,000 doses may be available for over-the-counter sale. That has already pushed some Bulgarians to travel to Greece for paid vaccination, although Nikolova cautioned against relying on that option while supplies are now arriving domestically. Additional stock for pharmacies is expected around 9 November.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
