1,800 Children in South Carolina Improperly Vaccinated
Published December 13, 2018 | Vaccination, Risk & Failure Reports
Greenville Health System (GHS) of
South Carolina reported last month that one of their employees
administered “less than optimal dosing” of vaccinations for common
childhood illnesses during well-child visits and that it was
recommending re-vaccination for those potentially affected.
GHS, which will soon merge and be renamed Prisma Health, sent certified and regular-delivery letters in late November to families of approximately 1,800 affected children ranging in age from two months to teenagers. The children represent 14 percent of patients from two GHS locations: Pediatric Associates in Easley, SC and Pediatric Associates in Powdersville, SC.
Robin LaCroix, MD, medical director of the GHS Children’s Hospital in Spartanburg, SC explained that an internal audit as part of normal monitoring identified the vaccination dosing issue and an investigation identified it as human error. Dr. LaCroix said that vaccines are normally administered by employees with nursing certifications, and that the employee in question is no longer with the practice.
Even though South Carolina health officials believe very few children received inadequate doses, they recommended that the 1,800 children, who were vaccinated by that employee, receive all the vaccinations again to “err on the side of caution.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends repeat vaccinations when initial proper dosing cannot be confirmed.
Both Pediatric Associates locations are administering free re-vaccinations through mid-December. Reportedly, the pediatric practices will take steps to make sure the affected children receive full doses of all the vaccines they may have missed due to employee error .1 2
Vaccine manufacturer package inserts contain information on vaccine ingredients, reported vaccine adverse events and contraindications and precautions to use of vaccines. Review vaccine package inserts and obtain more information about diseases and vaccines here.
References:
GHS, which will soon merge and be renamed Prisma Health, sent certified and regular-delivery letters in late November to families of approximately 1,800 affected children ranging in age from two months to teenagers. The children represent 14 percent of patients from two GHS locations: Pediatric Associates in Easley, SC and Pediatric Associates in Powdersville, SC.
Robin LaCroix, MD, medical director of the GHS Children’s Hospital in Spartanburg, SC explained that an internal audit as part of normal monitoring identified the vaccination dosing issue and an investigation identified it as human error. Dr. LaCroix said that vaccines are normally administered by employees with nursing certifications, and that the employee in question is no longer with the practice.
Even though South Carolina health officials believe very few children received inadequate doses, they recommended that the 1,800 children, who were vaccinated by that employee, receive all the vaccinations again to “err on the side of caution.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends repeat vaccinations when initial proper dosing cannot be confirmed.
Both Pediatric Associates locations are administering free re-vaccinations through mid-December. Reportedly, the pediatric practices will take steps to make sure the affected children receive full doses of all the vaccines they may have missed due to employee error .1 2
Vaccine manufacturer package inserts contain information on vaccine ingredients, reported vaccine adverse events and contraindications and precautions to use of vaccines. Review vaccine package inserts and obtain more information about diseases and vaccines here.
References:
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