An audit of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine wastage in general practice

Turnour, Caroline E; Conaty, Stephen J; Cretikos, Michelle A

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03624.x

Topics

To the Editor: From 30 September 2009, the Australian Government began offering free pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine (Panvax, CSL Limited, Melbourne, VIC), using either 10-dose (5 mL) or 20-dose (10 mL) vials.1 Multidose vials are not used routinely in Australia, and are designed for high-volume vaccination clinics.2 Once pierced, a Panvax vial must be used within 24 hours or discarded.3 We investigated vaccine wastage in general practice during the first month of the vaccine’s availability.

1 NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW.
2 Sydney South West Public Health Unit, Sydney South West Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: Caroline.Turnour@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

1. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccination program information for health professionals — 18 September 2009. http://www.public.health.wa.gov. au/cproot/2557/2/Health%20Professionals%20In formation%20Sheet%20-%20PDF.pdf (accessed Mar 2010).
2. Drain PK, Nelson CM, Lloyd JS. Single-dose versus multi-dose vaccine vials for immunization programmes in developing countries. Bull World Health Organ 2003; 81: 726-731.
3. Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Guideline for the administration of pandemic (H1N1) influenza vaccine from multi-dose vials (MDV) prepared by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2009. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/healthemergency/publishing.nsf/Content/2723D54E78BF5739CA2576400027E1E9/$File/6013%20H1N1%20MDV%20Protocol%20v3%20CMYK%20SCREEN.pdf (accessed Mar 2010).
4. CSL package insert. Influenza A (H1N1) 2009, monovalent vaccine. Melbourne: CSL Limited, 2009. http://www.avn.org.au/library/pdfs/090915_CSL_A-H1N1VaccinePackageInsert_BasedOn 2007Approvalfor%20Afluria_UCM182401.pdf (accessed Mar 2010).
5. Rudd K, Roxon N. Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Ageing media release. Australia joins international effort to assist swine flu vaccine rollout in developing countries. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 18 Sep 2009. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/healthemergency/publishing.nsf/Content/1F7255712C9D024 CCA257635003A683D/$File/090918%20Australia% 20shares%20vaccine.pdf (accessed Mar 2010).

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.