A Texas woman undergoing intensive immunosuppressive therapy for neuropsychiatric lupus says a Walgreens pharmacist refused to give her the second dose of her shingles vaccine because she was “too young” to get it.
The incident was shared on TikTok by patient Skye Polk (@skyepolk), who described a frustrating confrontation with a pharmacist at her local Walgreens. Polk had an active prescription from her doctor and had already received the first dose of the vaccine at the exact same pharmacy.
Polk, who is heavily immunocompromised because of her autoimmune condition, had gone to the Walgreens pharmacy to get the second dose of her two-part shingles vaccine series.
The pharmacist told her the first dose she got was a mistake
Shingles vaccines can be especially important for patients taking immunosuppressive medication because their weakened immune systems can leave them more vulnerable to shingles and complications such as postherpetic neuralgia. For someone living with neuropsychiatric lupus, an infection like shingles can also put additional stress on the body, making preventative care an important part of their treatment.
Polk said she booked an appointment online, checked in, and waited her turn before the pharmacist refused to administer the vaccine.
According to Polk, the pharmacist insisted that shingles vaccines were only for people aged 50 and older. Polk explained her medical condition, showed that she had a prescription from her rheumatologist, and pointed out that Walgreens had already given her the first dose.
But she said the pharmacist told her it “doesn’t matter.”
@skyepolk I’m on immunosuppression that can “wake up” shingles which would be very dangerous to me as a neuro lupus patient #lupus #sle #shingles #medicalgaslighting
♬ original sound – Skye Polk 💜🦋
The pharmacist reportedly then added, “Well, that was a mistake. We should never have given you that first vaccine,” before canceling the rest of Polk’s appointment without offering another solution.
The situation has raised questions because CDC guidelines recommend the two-dose shingles vaccine for immunodeficient or immunosuppressed adults aged 19 and older. The general recommendation is for adults aged 50 and older, but there is an exception for younger adults whose immune systems are weakened because of disease or treatment.
That means Polk’s age alone would not appear to be a reason to deny the vaccine if she met the immunocompromised criteria.
The pharmacist’s comment about the first dose also raised questions about whether the pharmacy had made an error in giving it to Polk in the first place. Under Texas law, pharmacy negligence can involve mistakes in dispensing or administering medication, although not every mistake automatically amounts to medical malpractice.
For a malpractice claim to succeed, there generally needs to be a breach of the applicable standard of care that causes actual harm. In Polk’s case, she was reportedly denied the second dose rather than given the wrong medication, which could make proving physical injury more complicated. The delay in care and emotional distress, however, remain part of the concerns she has raised.
She plans on filing a formal complaint
The video has since sparked a wider discussion among healthcare workers online, with some licensed pharmacy staff criticizing the pharmacist’s handling of the situation. Some said that when a pharmacist has questions about a prescription, contacting the prescribing doctor for clarification would be more appropriate than simply turning the patient away.
Polk has since obtained a new prescription to have the vaccine filled at another location. She also said she plans to file a formal complaint with the state board.
She also pointed to the bigger concern for people with chronic illnesses, saying, “There’s someone out there who doesn’t have as many spoons as me and that he could put in real danger by refusing a fill or a vaccine.”
