Our Passport Health travel clinic gives shingles vaccinations. I googled Passposrt Health Cinncinnati and came up with this. [link]

Okay, so the pharmacist explained to Tim that it's actually a law (I thought it was a corporate thing, but it's actually a legality) -- because the FDA only approved the shingles vaccine for people 50 and older, *pharmacists* can't give it to anyone under 50 for any reason. However, physicians can. So this is the point at which he needs to tell the rheumatologist to get his shit together. If the rheumatologist can't/won't give Tim the vaccine, he needs to send the order for the vaccine to Tim's primary care doctor NOW.

Or he needs to let Tim start the Humira now and then get vaccinated in 4 months and 29 days.

How infuriating, Steph. I hope Tim can get the vaccine sooner than five months from now.

Unless I read the information wrong, his doctor (*any* doctor; hell, at this point, I'd take Dr. Nick) can administer it. Now the thing is getting his doctor's office to order the fucking vaccine and give it to him.

I don't even understand why it matters how old the patient is. Because it's not an issue of it being harmful in people under 50. It's just that the FDA approved it for people 50 and older, so that's what everyone is going with.

So. Much. Rage.

Man, I tried a perfume sampler at Lush, and it is the most nauseating smell, and now I can't get it off my fucking skin.

That is insane that they won't administer a vacceine they have in stock on a doctor's orders to someone under 50. That'd be like not giving heart pills to someone in their 40s because heart attacks usually hit at later ages!

Steph, have you checked with an Urgent Care type clinic?

I believe part of the problem is that the shingles vaccine isn't effective repeatedly, or something? So the general idea is you don't want to be giving it to people who are young enough and less likely to get it and/or it's easier to fight it off, and then they can't get it later? Or something. Similar with the pneumonia vaccine, I think? But I agree that it's ridiculous about the pharmacy vs doctor thing.

I am so irked at Blue Apron. Apparently I have food (which I don't want and don't have time to cook) on the way. I thought I had skipped all the future deliveries but I guess I missed this one? AND they make it near-impossible to cancel--seriously, you have to EMAIL them to get INSTRUCTIONS (not just "email to cancel"--email for the instructions/link on how to cancel!). Such bullshit.

Similar with the pneumonia vaccine, I think?

Oh, Kroger pharmacy gave him the pneumonia vaccine no problem, and insurance covered it.

I just helped him write a polite but very explicit letter to the rheumatologist that (1) Tim is 49; (2) pharmacists cannot legally give the vaccine to anyone under 50; (3) doctors can, however; (4) if you still want him to get vaccinated, you need to sort this out. We'll see what happens.

Steph, have you checked with an Urgent Care type clinic?

That might be a fallback option!