Insights Newsletter: Keep Adolescents on Track with Immunizations, Keto Diet Concerns on the Rise, How to Address Patients with Vaccine Hesitancy, and More!

Keep Adolescents on Track with Immunizations

• Pain Point: Only about 60% of adolescents are current with immunizations, and things worsened during the pandemic. In addition, adolescent vaccines (HPV, meningococcal, Tdap) are less “top of mind” than routine pediatric vaccines, and some (e.g., HPV) are linked with myths.  
• Solution:  Our Pharmacist’s Letter, Pharmacy Technician’s Letter, and Prescriber’s Letter articles highlight that back-to-school season brings opportunities to help adolescents catch up on routine vaccinations. Guidance is provided about key adolescent vaccines, how to address common concerns with adolescent vaccination (e.g., fainting), and how to dispel myths (e.g., that giving Gardasil 9 promotes sexual activity).  The articles also advise taking the opportunity to give all needed vaccines (flu, hep A, etc) at the same visit. Our updated Immunization Resource Hub is highlighted and includes tools to start discussions, address hesitancy, and prevent vaccine-related injury.

Keto Concerns on the Rise

• Pain Point: The ketogenic diet has maintained its popularity for many years now, and grocery store shelves are full of products claiming to be “keto friendly.” But there are many misconceptions about the ketogenic diet, and many people may be unaware of the risks that come with long-term adherence to this diet.
• Solution: This diet, of which there are many variations, is often used for weight loss and to manage blood glucose. Regardless of the variation that is used, its purported benefits depend on the body entering a state of ketosis, which only occurs if the diet is followed consistently. Our Natural Medicines article explains what is actually required to induce ketosis and discusses some of the serious adverse effects that have been associated with strict adherence to the diet, such as pancreatitis, “keto rash,” kidney stones, and an increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

As we close out Immunization Awareness month, we’re featuring our training program, RxAdvanced: Leadership & Communication which includes patient-focused courses that teach pharmacists how to address patients with vaccine hesitancy, best practices for empathic care, managing conflict, and working with diverse populations including patients with language barriers and low health literacy. We also highlight our Immunization Resource Hub which includes recommendations, clinical resources, and other guidance to help you stay on top of the latest recommendations and ensure your patients are properly vaccinated. 

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