New vaccines needed after blunder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/7202446.stm

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More than 2,500 patients at a Lincolnshire GP surgery received flu, travel or childhood vaccines which may not have worked.

A routine check at the Littlebury Surgery in Holbeach found vaccines were not stored at the right temperature.

This can make some of them ineffective, and patients are being asked to go back for another vaccine.

A spokesman said there had been no evidence of illness as a result of the ineffective vaccines.

Dr Robert Wilson, consultant in public health medicine for Lincolnshire Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT), said: "I would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused to patients."

MMR clear

Almost 1,250 patients may need to return for a flu vaccine if they had the injection from October 2007.

Patients who had travel vaccines - about 1,030 - or some childhood immunisations - about 466 cases - since 2005, which is when the last routine inspection took place, should contact the PCT to arrange new vaccinations.

Dr Wilson said children's MMR vaccines had not been affected.

"Once it was discovered that some vaccines may have been stored at temperatures outside the range recommended by manufacturers, we sought expert advice and concluded that a repeat vaccination should be offered to patients to provide them with long-term protection."

He added the PCT would be writing to all patients affected within the next few weeks. Vaccines will be offered free of charge.