Recently, ACP was contacted by a patient who received the IXCHIQ (chikungunya) vaccine without being provided pertinent risk information.
On March 9, 2026, Health Canada issued a safety alert for IXCHIQ regarding the risk of serious adverse reactions for individuals 65 years of age and older who are medically frail with multiple chronic medical conditions. Although the patient received the vaccine well after the Health Canada alert, they reported that they were not informed of these risk factors. The patient subsequently became seriously ill after receiving the vaccine.
The patient’s primary concern was that they were not provided with sufficient information regarding the potential side effects of the vaccine, despite specifically asking about possible adverse reactions.
The Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians require pharmacists to obtain informed consent before providing professional services. Obtaining informed consent includes providing patients with information about the risks associated with the service.
This patient concern provides an important reminder for pharmacists to ensure all of the necessary steps are completed to obtain informed consent.
When administering vaccines or dispensing drugs that are less commonly provided, it is prudent to review current product information, safety updates, and guidance to ensure patients receive relevant information about expected benefits, risks, and potential adverse reactions so they can make an informed decision. One useful resource is Health Canada’s recalls and safety alerts database.
