The Role of the Pharmacist in Preventing Hepatitis B in the Context of the Opioid Crisis

The behavior has been linked to increased transmission of HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), especially when people who inject drugs do not have access to syringe service programs or other harm reduction services. A study by Lambdin and colleagues stated, “Participants reporting perceived illicit fentanyl use were more likely to report high frequency opioid use, high frequency injection and receptive syringe sharing compared with people using heroin and other street drugs but not fentanyl” (2). Because of the rise in fentanyl use, the US health care system must implement more effective strategies for reducing the risks of infectious disease transmission among people who inject drugs and broaden their focus to include HBV and other less frequently discussed infectious disease concerns associated with increased injection frequency. According to 2017 surveillance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the adjusted number of acute infections for HBV was 22,200, and there is limited data on incidence of coinfection for HBV and HCV (7). The pharmacists’ long-standing history of involvement with vaccine storage, preparation, distribution, education, and, in more recent years, as immunization providers themselves, lends support to their ability to provide this public health service (10,11).