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Korea grapples with flu vaccine shortage

Growing number of vaccine recipients report adverse reactions

Photo shows vaccine with
Photo shows vaccine with "white particles". (courtesy of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)
More than a million doses of the vaccine have been dropped from use due to either contamination or handling errors while the demand for flu shots runs high this year over fears of a twindemic. The unfortunate combination is triggering shortages across the country.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Thursday that around 340,000 doses of flu vaccine, or 15 percent of the supply meant for teens aged 13-18, will be rationed for the government’s free vaccination program for children under 12, after local clinics reported shortages.

“Some regions are struggling to secure enough supply of flu vaccine due to an uneven distribution. The rations will be reallotted to complete free vaccination of children without fail,” the agency said.

Primary care physician Dr. Choi Seung-jun, whose office is in Yongsan, central Seoul, said there was a lot of confusion among patients as well as doctors about the flu vaccines this year. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my 20 years of practice,” he said.

“The flu vaccines are running out faster than usual. Our clinic used up nearly 30 percent of the vaccines that we were supplied in three days,” he said. “There have been so many changes with the influenza vaccination schedule this year that patients had to be turned away several times. Some elderly patients have given up.”

He added that many of his patients have asked if the vaccines are going to be safe. “I don’t think I am in the position to vouch for that. But most undesirable side effects occur almost immediately following the vaccination,” he said.

The KDCA said as of Wednesday, 55 people who received the vaccines with contaminants reported experiencing adverse reactions such as skin rashes, swelling, fever and spasms. Whether there is a link to the vaccination has not yet been established, the agency added.

In an emergency briefing Oct. 9, Minister of Food and Drug Safety Lee Eui-kyung said, “Our analysis revealed the white particles in the vaccines are 0.3 percent silicone oil and 99.7 percent aggregated protein antigens.”

Lee said the “white particles” are believed to have been a result of the vaccine solution reacting to particular syringes. “Safety risks other than mild injection site reactions are assessed to be low,” she said.

Out of the over 4.7 million vaccines packaged in the syringes that caused the formation of suspicious particles, 615,000 were withdrawn Friday -- a belated move that came after at least 17,784 people across the country had already received contaminated vaccines.

This puts the number of vaccines subject to withdrawal at over a million.

Last month, the KDCA suspended the free flu vaccination program for three weeks after 5.39 million doses purchased with public funds were exposed to out-of-range temperatures.

While the agency’s joint investigation with the Drug Safety Ministry concluded there were no safety or potency issues with the heat-exposed vaccines, around 480,000 doses were recalled out of caution.

So far, 12 patients have reported having unusual side effects after being given the vaccines that were improperly managed.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)
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