The last post about getting a flu shot in your buttcheek didn’t gain a lot of traction, and I think that’s in part because I made the whole thing up. Well, the whole thing minus the movie spoiler. This time, I really asked a real pharmacist what would happen if you got a flu shot in your buttcheek instead of your arm.
Because this pharmacist is a friend of mine and not a fictional character, I sat him down at a local doughnut shop, bought him a cup of coffee and a doughnut, had a friendly conversation with him, and asked him what would happen if a person were to get a flu shot in his or her buttcheek. We then discussed how interesting the question was, high-fived, talked about other intellectual things, complimented each other’s websites, and parted ways. I did this with him because he is a real pharmacist and a friend of mine whom I have known for years.
I absolutely did not look up a random pharmacist on the Internet, break into his house, and threaten to publish his browser history if he didn’t give me a straight answer to my question. I didn’t have to do any of these things because he is my friend who is a pharmacist who enjoys talking with me about pharmaceutical things because he is my friend and also a pharmacist.
I’ve transcribed the conversation we had below, but brace yourself–the truth may shock you.
Me: What would happen if you got a flu shot in your buttcheek?
Pharmacist: Literally nothing different.
Me: Okay cool, thanks.
Pharmacist: Please untie me
As you can see, it is possible to get a flu shot in your buttcheek instead of your arm. Next time you’re getting your flu vaccine, it might not be 100% inappropriate to ask if the pharmacist can stick it up your butt.