Vaccine Dispensing Through Private Community Pharmacies in Costa Rica: A National Descriptive Analysis

Background

Pharmacist involvement in immunization has expanded as a strategy to improve access to vaccines. In Costa Rica, private community pharmacies operate under a regulatory framework for vaccination services, yet evidence on private-market vaccine dispensing remains limited. The aim of this study was to characterize vaccine dispensing through private community pharmacies in Costa Rica by dispensed doses, economic value, vaccine category, and provincial distribution, comparing MAT February 2025 and MAT February 2026.