With the flu season upon us, InCrowd asked US retail pharmacists to weigh in on the 2013 - 2014 flu season. Here's their response, direct from the InCrowd platform.

1. Flu Season 101:
Direct from your
local pharmacist

2. According to the
US Department of Health
and Human Services,
flu season begins in the fall
and peaks around
January and February
Source: flu.gov

3. Center for Disease Control (CDC)
tells us getting a flu shot is your best
option for preventing the flu
They recommends flu shots for
everyone 6 months and older
Flu shots reduce your odds of
getting the flu by 70% to 90%
Source: cdc.gov/flu/about/season

4. InCrowd asked
150 retail pharmacists
from across the US to
share their thoughts on the
2013 - 2014 flu season

5. InCrowd Asked…
Why don’t people get flu shots?
What do you see as the major benefits to
people receiving flu shots at their local pharmacy?
What do you see as the major drawbacks to
people receiving flu shots at their local pharmacy?
What level of severity do you predict for
the 2013 - 2014 flu season?

6. Q1: Why don’t people get flu shots?
According the pharmacists we surveyed, there are
three main reasons people don't get flu shots
Reason #1: Believe the flu shot will give them the flu and
make them sick 82/150
Reason #2: No need for a flu shot, never get sick 32/150
Reason #3: Fear and misconceptions around the benefits
of the flu shot 23/150
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150

7. Top 3 Reasons People
Don’t Get Flu Shots
0.0%
Flu shot will
make them sick
Fear, misconceptions
around benefits
15.4%
54.7%
21.3%
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150
No
need, never
get sick

8. Q2: What are the major benefits to people
receiving flu shots at their local pharmacy?
Benefits identified by surveyed pharmacists fall
under the umbrella of convenience and could play a
role in more people getting flu shots
90% of surveyed pharmacists identified convenience as main
benefit of getting flu shot at a retail pharmacy
• Easy access, offered at many pharmacies and stores 78/150
• No appointment needed 33/150
• Fast with minimal wait time 24/150
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150

9. Benefits of Receiving Flu Shot at Local Pharmacy
No major benefits
0.7%
Other (please describe below)
1.3%
Incentives such as store coupons
0.0%
No waiting room of sick patients
4%
Lower cost to patients
4%
Fast / Low wait time
16%
No appointment needed
Convenience
22%
Ease of access / offered by many
pharmacies and stores
52%
0%
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%

10. Q3: What are the major drawbacks to people
receiving flu shots at their local pharmacy?
Nearly half of the pharmacists surveyed (44%)
see no drawbacks to providing flu shots at
local retail pharmacies
Other drawbacks identified include
• Less privacy, less professional setting 31/150
• Managing and preventing adverse events 29/150
• Disruption in continuity of care with PCP 14/150
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150

11. Drawbacks to Providing Flu Shots
in the Retail Pharmacy Setting
50%
40%
30%
20%
44.0%
10%
9.3%
20.6%
19.3%
0%
Disruption in
continuity of
care
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150
Less
privacy, less
professional
setting
Managing
adverse events
No major
drawbacks

12. Q4: What level of severity do you predict
for the 2013 - 2014 flu season?
An increase in the number of people getting flu
shots leads majority of surveyed pharmacists to
predict an average flu season
2013 – 2014 flu season predictions
•
•
•
•
Mild 17/150
Average 114/150
Worse than average 17/150
Severe 2/150
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150

13. Pharmacists Predict the 2013-2014 Flu Season
100%
90%
76% Average
Flu Season
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
11.3% Mild
20%
10%
0%
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150
11.3% Worse
Than Average
1.3% Severe

14. Bonus Question: During what month does
your pharmacy administer the highest
number of flu shots?
71 % of the surveyed
pharmacists indicated
October as peak month for
flu shots (106 / 150)
Source: InCrowd Pharmacist Research, n = 150

15. Interested in getting market feedback
from pharmacists
Drop us a line, we have Crowds of US and
international based pharmacists working in both
the retail and hospital setting
These pharmacists are pre-screened and have
opted-in to answer questions in real time
sales@incrowdnow.com
1-617-934-1600