1. A patient who recently received the PCV13 vaccine from your pharmacy contacts you after reading online that the PCV13 vaccine contains aluminum. What should you tell her?
A. There is no aluminum in the PCV13; it is only present in PPSV23
B. Aluminum is added to the PCV13 to improve the patient's immune response
C. Aluminum is added to the PCV13 to reduce inflammation and improve tolerance
D. Aluminum is added to the PCV13 to prevent post-vaccination illness
E. Unsure
2. Which of the following is the preferred route and site of administration for PCV13 when given to an adult?
A. Intramuscularly in the deltoid muscle
B. Subcutaneously two inches from the belly button
C. Intramuscularly in the anterolateral aspect of the thigh
D. Subcutaneously into the back upper part of the arm
E. Unsure
3. Which of the following matches the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations on vaccinating children younger than 2 years of age?
A. PCV13 should be administered to infants as a series of 4 doses: one dose at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and between 12 and 15 months of age
B. Infants should receive one dose of PCV13 before 12 months of age followed by one dose of PPSV23 at least 8 weeks later
C. PPSV23 should be administered to infants as a series of 4 doses: one dose at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and between 12 and 15 months of age
D. PCV13 should be administered to infants as a single dose before 2 months of age
E. Unsure
4. If PCV13 is given to an immunocompromised patient before PPSV23, at least how much time should pass before PPSV23 is given?
A. At least 4 weeks
B. At least 8 weeks
C. At least 1 year
D. At least 5 years
E. Unsure
5. A previously unvaccinated 35-year-old is newly diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus. Which, if any, pneumococcal vaccines would you recommend for this patient before age 65?
A. PCV13 should be administered, followed by one dose of PPSV23
B. PCV13 should be administered, followed by two doses of PPSV23
C. Two doses of PPSV should be administered; PCV13 should not be given until age 65
D. No pneumococcal vaccination is necessary until age 65
E. Unsure
6. A 42-year-old with diabetes mellitus who has previously received PPSV23 at age 17 presents for pneumococcal vaccination. Which, if any, pneumococcal vaccines would you recommend for this patient to receive before age 65?
A. PCV13 should be administered, followed by one dose of PPSV23
B. PCV13 should be administered, followed by two doses of PPSV23
C. Two doses of PPSV should be administered; PCV13 should not be given until age 65
D. No pneumococcal vaccination is necessary until age 65
E. Unsure
7. A 65-year-old previously unvaccinated patient with a past medical history significant only for hypertension comes to your pharmacy asking about whether he should get the pneumococcal vaccine. What should you tell him?
A. The patient is not recommended to receive either PCV13 or PPSV23 at this time because his only underlying condition is hypertension
B. The patient should receive both PCV13 and PPSV23 with an appropriate interval in between due to him having chronic heart disease
C. The patient should only receive PPSV23 at this time; PCV13 is not indicated given his past medical history is only significant for hypertension
D. The patient should receive PPSV23 and the appropriateness of PCV13 should be determined through shared clinical decision-making
E. Unsure
8. Which of the following is true regarding barriers to pneumococcal vaccination?
A. Patients with Medicare Part B may face an out-of-pocket copay for PPSV23, but not PCV13
B. Due to increased demand, PCV13 faced a significant shortage at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
C. Motivational interviewing is most effective when pharmacists provide broad, population-based statistics to patients
D. Vaccine hesitancy is one of the top 10 threats to global health according to the World Health Organization
E. Unsure
9. Which of the following matches the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations on vaccinating an individual with no available vaccine history for whom both PPSV23 and PCV13 are indicated?
A. The patient should receive both PPSV23 and PCV13
B. The patient should receive PPSV23, but not PCV13
C. The patient should receive PCV13, but not PPSV23
D. The patient should receive neither PPSV23, nor PCV13
E. Unsure
10. A 67-year-old patient who is indicated for both Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine) and PPSV23 arrives to your pharmacy hoping to receive both vaccines today. Which of the following is most accurate?
A. The patient can be given both the PPSV23 and Shingrix vaccines today.
B. The patient should be given Shingrix today and will need to come back in 4 weeks for PPSV23.
C. The patient should be given PPSV23 today and will need to come back in 4 weeks for Shingrix.
D. The patient can receive either vaccine today, but will need to come back in 8 weeks for the other.
E. Unsure
