Reilly demands no more flu jab errors
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) says it is satisfied that the error that led to the under-dosing of some patients was being dealt with.
Fears for the safety of the new flu vaccination scheme were raised after people got a child’s dose of the vaccine instead of an adult one.
Hibernian Healthcare, who provide training to pharmacists, said the mistake resulted from an error in its training programme.
The alert was raised by a pharmacist who doubled checked the dosage advice.
The PSI published the report it furnished to the Department of Health and the HSE yesterday about the under-dosing of some patients with the flu vaccine in pharmacies.
The PSI said it was satisfied there would be full compliance by pharmacists with its guidance in relation to the provision of vaccination services in pharmacies.
Pharmacists and their representative body, the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), have given an assurance that they will fully co-operate and comply with PSI guidance.
“In the light of this assurance, the PSI is satisfied that pharmacies can continue to provide these services to patients and that the public can have confidence in the vaccination services being provided by pharmacists and pharmacies,” the PSI said.
The PSI said it appeared that in a number of cases the paediatric dosing line was incorrectly interpreted as referring to the adult dose.
It said the misinterpretation occurred during some training sessions provided to pharmacists by Hibernian Healthcare.
IPU secretary-general, Seamus Feely, said they welcomed the PSI’s statement that the public can have confidence in the vaccination service provided by pharmacists.
“Anyone that needs to be contacted will be contacted, but anyone with concerns should feel free to contact the pharmacy where the vaccine was administered.”
