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Peel Health cautious after child receives adult dose of H1N1 vaccine
Thursday November 5 2009
By PETER CRISCIONE
Peel Public Health is employing stricter measures after a four-year-old child was given a higher dose of the H1N1 vaccine at a flu clinic in Brampton on Monday.
?Unfortunately, a medication error was made at one of our clinics on Monday evening,? said Dr. Kathleen Dooling, Peel?s associate medical officer of health. ?We sincerely regret that this incident occurred and we are taking it very seriously.?
Peel Health issued a statement following a letter submitted to The Guardian regarding a mishap at the H1N1 vaccine clinic on Indell Lane.
The letter author, who later asked not to be identified, expressed concern that, for a time, adult dosages (0.5 mL) of the vaccine were being administered to children under the age of six, including her four-year-old grandson.
A child dose is 0.25 mL, though there are no significant side effects for children that receive the adult dosage level, according to Peel Health.
The woman also claimed that the nurse who inoculated her grandson was pulled from her station and an incident report was filed.
The woman said health officials pulled out paperwork for children under age six and contacted the parents whose children may have received the higher dose.
Peel officials would not confirm that multiple children received an adult dosage of the vaccine.
Peel Health would only confirm that one child, the four-year-old, received the adult shot, and stressed that measures are being taken to ensure such an incident is not repeated.
?Our staff of medical professionals strives to have no margin for error when dispensing vaccine,? Dooling said. ?They receive task-specific training and daily reminders, close supervision and electronic tracking of performance. We have a detailed process for reporting and investigating errors, and we are following them to understand how the error occurred and to ensure it is not repeated.
Thursday November 5 2009
By PETER CRISCIONE
Peel Public Health is employing stricter measures after a four-year-old child was given a higher dose of the H1N1 vaccine at a flu clinic in Brampton on Monday.
?Unfortunately, a medication error was made at one of our clinics on Monday evening,? said Dr. Kathleen Dooling, Peel?s associate medical officer of health. ?We sincerely regret that this incident occurred and we are taking it very seriously.?
Peel Health issued a statement following a letter submitted to The Guardian regarding a mishap at the H1N1 vaccine clinic on Indell Lane.
The letter author, who later asked not to be identified, expressed concern that, for a time, adult dosages (0.5 mL) of the vaccine were being administered to children under the age of six, including her four-year-old grandson.
A child dose is 0.25 mL, though there are no significant side effects for children that receive the adult dosage level, according to Peel Health.
The woman also claimed that the nurse who inoculated her grandson was pulled from her station and an incident report was filed.
The woman said health officials pulled out paperwork for children under age six and contacted the parents whose children may have received the higher dose.
Peel officials would not confirm that multiple children received an adult dosage of the vaccine.
Peel Health would only confirm that one child, the four-year-old, received the adult shot, and stressed that measures are being taken to ensure such an incident is not repeated.
?Our staff of medical professionals strives to have no margin for error when dispensing vaccine,? Dooling said. ?They receive task-specific training and daily reminders, close supervision and electronic tracking of performance. We have a detailed process for reporting and investigating errors, and we are following them to understand how the error occurred and to ensure it is not repeated.
