Protecting Against Meningococcal Disease: Updates on Vaccines, Guidelines, and Pharmacist Best Practices

2025 PTCE Specialty Pharmacy Day of Education in partnership with Asembia

Program Description

Meningococcal disease, though rare, can lead to rapid-onset, life-threatening complications such as meningitis, septicemia, limb loss, and neurologic damage, with survivors often facing significant long-term disability. Infants, adolescents, individuals with certain medical conditions and comorbidities, and those living in close quarters, such as college dormitories, are particularly at risk. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, disparities in vaccination rates have been driven by factors such as socioeconomic status, race, and access to health care, placing vulnerable populations at continued risk. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy to prevent invasive meningococcal disease and its potentially severe consequences. Recent advances in vaccine development, including MenACWY, MenB, and MenABCWY formulations, have expanded prevention options, and understanding the differences in immunogenicity, duration of protection, and recommended populations is critical for optimizing immunization strategies. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to identify individuals at increased risk of meningococcal disease, address social determinants affecting vaccine access, and implement targeted, evidence-based interventions. This activity will provide pharmacists with up-to-date guidance on meningococcal vaccination recommendations and equip them with practical strategies to enhance disease prevention within their communities.

Target audience: Community Pharmacist, Health-System Pharmacist, Retail Pharmacist

Type of activity: Application

Release date: October 30, 2025

Expiration date: October 30, 2026

Time to complete activity: 1.5 hours

Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate

Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Examine recent trends in meningococcal disease incidence, including shifts in serogroup prevalence and geographic variations
• Compare the immunogenicity and duration of protection provided by different meningococcal vaccines, including MenACWY, MenABCWY, and MenB formulations
• Investigate key social determinants of health that contribute to disparities in meningococcal vaccination rates among different populations
• Identify pharmacist-led interventions to improve uptake of meningococcal vaccination