Roundtable Analysis Urges Agencies to Utilize Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Pandemic, Apply to Long-Term Care Operations

“A Call to Action: Expand & Ensure Access to All Vaccines for Long-Term Care Residents” outlines a path to better preparedness

WASHINGTON, DC — A new white paper outlines a reflection of the Federal response to vaccination during the COVID-10 pandemic. The 35-page report, “A Call to Action: Expand & Ensure Access to All Vaccines for Long-Term Care Residents,” is a summary of key findings resulting from a roundtable symposium held on January 27, 2023.

Convened by the Alliance for Aging Research and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), the roundtable, “Our Best Shot: A Roundtable on Expanding Vaccine Access For Long-Term Care Residents,” gathered more than 45 individuals representing a variety of stakeholders to offer a significant opportunity to share lessons learned and identify policies and programs needed to sustain and expand access to vaccines at long-term facilities.

“This meeting signifies not only a pivot in our management of the COVID-19 pandemic but an acknowledgement of how it improved our thinking,” said Sue Peschin, President & CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research. “Scientists say that the next pandemic is guaranteed. We cannot start from square one ever again and we must build on the lessons learned from this moment in our history so that we are better prepared for the future.”

During the pandemic, pharmacists were given the ability to distribute vaccines in long-term care facilities. In all, they were responsible for administering 8.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and served as a vital touchpoint for ensuring that some of our nation’s most vulnerable populations were kept safe and healthy.

“This policy paper recognizes and outlines the critical policies that delivered for long term care settings during the pandemic, it’s up to agencies and the administration to do what’s right now to continue the momentum and keep us ahead of the next challenge,” said Chad Worz, CEO of ASCP.

The 35-page report, commissioned by the Alliance for Aging Research and ASCP, breaks down the problem, details roundtable participant recommendations, and provides a conclusion for a clear path forward.

The white paper addresses the devastating consequences that outbreaks of endemic infections and other infectious disease post to long term care facilities and offers the following:

• Recommendations for federal action to the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Congress.
• Recommendations for long-term care providers
• Recommendations for vaccine manufacturers and the industry
• Recommendations for third-party stakeholders including clinician association and patient advocacy groups

Additional information on vaccination guidelines for older adults and Our Best Shot can be found at www.agingresearch.org/ourbestshot. 

The Alliance for Aging Research is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the pace of scientific discoveries and their application to vastly improve the universal human experience of aging and health. The Alliance believes advances in research help people live longer, happier, more productive lives and reduce healthcare costs over the long term. For more than 30 years, the Alliance has guided efforts to substantially increase funding and focus for aging at the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration; built influential coalitions to guide groundbreaking regulatory improvements for age-related diseases; and created award-winning, high-impact educational materials to improve the health and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers. For more information, visit www.agingresearch.org.

The American Society for Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is a membership association that represents pharmacists, health care professionals, and students serving the unique medication needs of older adults. ASCP is an international organization with members located in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and 12 countries. The society’s mission is to promote healthy aging by empowering pharmacists with education, resources, and innovative opportunities. Founded in 1969, ASCP is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization based in Alexandria, Virginia. The ASCP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; its purpose is to carry out the charitable – including scientific, literary, and educational – purposes of ASCP.

— ## —

For more information about the Alliance for Aging Research, please contact Katie Riley, Vice President of Communications, Alliance for Aging Research, at [email protected].

For more information about the American Society for Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), please contact Melissa Blacketer, Senior Director of Communications, ASCP, at [email protected].