The U.S. Health Department's Office of the Inspector General released a statement this week revealing childhood vaccines administered through free government programs may have been stored improperly, rendering them less effective.
The OIG reviewed samples from 45 locations registered within the CDC's Vaccines for Children. They found 76 percent of the vaccines tested may have been stored at inappropriate temperatures for at least five hours over a two-week period.
Additionally, 13 locations had mixed expired and unexpired vaccines and 16 had kept expired vaccines.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released an official comment on the report, saying it "encourages all practices to continue monitoring vaccine storage and handling according to [CDC program] guidelines and, where necessary, to take steps to regain compliance with those guidelines."
AAP president Robert Block, MD, also released a statement calling "for improved resources and funding for the [Vaccines for Children] program to support the necessary technology and infrastructure for physician offices so that the program is able to deliver needed immunizations to all eligible children."
by RTT Staff Writer
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