HBV prevention in community pharmacies: a first step in a low-resource setting
Official title: Integration of hepatitis B preventive interventions into community pharmacy services in a resource-limited setting: A pilot study
Funded at University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr · NIH-11473743 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot project tests whether hepatitis B screening and vaccination can be integrated into everyday community pharmacy services to reach more people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Worth, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $108,403 |
| NIH project number | 3R21AI196623-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11473743 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults visiting participating community pharmacies who are eligible for HBV screening or vaccination and who can engage with implementation activities.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the service area or those with contraindications to screening or vaccination may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Hepatitis B remains a major health problem in the U.S., and many people lack access to screening and vaccination. This project will test practical ways to add HBV screening and vaccination into routine community pharmacy visits. Using established implementation frameworks, the team will collaborate with pharmacists, partners, policymakers, and patient advocates to co-create strategies and gather early data. The goal is to support a future larger study that shows how pharmacies can help prevent HBV in diverse communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could access HBV screening and vaccination more easily through local pharmacies, reducing infection and liver cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests pharmacist-led public health services can improve access, but this specific HBV-leaning integration is novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
Fort Worth, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olakunde, Babayemi Oluwaseun — University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Olakunde, Babayemi Oluwaseun
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.