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B.C. police investigate attempt to auction flu vaccine
By Richard Watts, Victoria Times Colonist
November 9, 2009 9:19 PM
VICTORIA ? Police in B.C. are investigating a possible attempt to auction H1N1 vaccine on the Internet.
The ad was posted Monday morning by someone claiming to be a registered nurse auctioning off swine flu vaccine. It was pulled a few hours later.
"Hello, I am a nurse with an extra vial of the H1N1 vaccine. One vial will do 10 shots. I am willing to administer these shots to the highest bidder," stated the ad.
A national shortage of the vaccine has resulted in long lineups, with priority given to pregnant women and young children. Reports of queue-jumping by Calgary Flames players and their families, as well as hospital board members and donors in Toronto and Montreal, has fuelled national outrage.
In Victoria, Sgt. Grant Hamilton confirmed an investigation has been launched after a complaint was filed Monday about the ad posted on the website UsedVictoria.com.
However, he wouldn't speculate on what charges might arise.
The ad said the auction would continue until midnight on Friday. After that, the nurse was to contact the highest bidder, come to the winner's home with proof of credentials and administer the shots.
"Good Luck," the ad concluded.
Attempts to reach the poster were unsuccessful.
Luticia (Tish) Hill, general manager of UsedEverywhere.com, which runs UsedVictoria.com, said the company has now removed the ad and is co-operating with police. Hill said the company has some private information about the person behind the ad, but refused to divulge it.
Suzanne Germaine, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Island Health
Authority, said there is no legal way of obtaining the H1N1 vaccine in B.C. except through the public vaccinations ? so any vial posted for sale is likely stolen.
"If somebody is selling to the highest bidder, then it is theft," said Germaine. "It is morally wrong because it is taking vaccine away from pregnant women and kids."
Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C. chief medical officer, said at his daily briefing Monday that nobody should consider buying vaccine over the Internet.
"Don't do it. It is probably a scam," said Kendall.
If the person who placed the ad turns out to be a nurse, Kendall expects the College of Registered Nurses of B.C. to take disciplinary action.
"No one, especially someone who has the bad taste to pose as a nurse, should be offering healthy people preferential treatment and the offer of jumping the queue," he said.
Kendall also called the ad an "unacceptable slur" on the nursing profession.
He said that he doesn't have huge concerns about a black market developing for the vaccine.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/police+investigate+attempt+auction+vaccine/2203890/story.html
By Richard Watts, Victoria Times Colonist
November 9, 2009 9:19 PM
VICTORIA ? Police in B.C. are investigating a possible attempt to auction H1N1 vaccine on the Internet.
The ad was posted Monday morning by someone claiming to be a registered nurse auctioning off swine flu vaccine. It was pulled a few hours later.
"Hello, I am a nurse with an extra vial of the H1N1 vaccine. One vial will do 10 shots. I am willing to administer these shots to the highest bidder," stated the ad.
A national shortage of the vaccine has resulted in long lineups, with priority given to pregnant women and young children. Reports of queue-jumping by Calgary Flames players and their families, as well as hospital board members and donors in Toronto and Montreal, has fuelled national outrage.
In Victoria, Sgt. Grant Hamilton confirmed an investigation has been launched after a complaint was filed Monday about the ad posted on the website UsedVictoria.com.
However, he wouldn't speculate on what charges might arise.
The ad said the auction would continue until midnight on Friday. After that, the nurse was to contact the highest bidder, come to the winner's home with proof of credentials and administer the shots.
"Good Luck," the ad concluded.
Attempts to reach the poster were unsuccessful.
Luticia (Tish) Hill, general manager of UsedEverywhere.com, which runs UsedVictoria.com, said the company has now removed the ad and is co-operating with police. Hill said the company has some private information about the person behind the ad, but refused to divulge it.
Suzanne Germaine, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Island Health
Authority, said there is no legal way of obtaining the H1N1 vaccine in B.C. except through the public vaccinations ? so any vial posted for sale is likely stolen.
"If somebody is selling to the highest bidder, then it is theft," said Germaine. "It is morally wrong because it is taking vaccine away from pregnant women and kids."
Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C. chief medical officer, said at his daily briefing Monday that nobody should consider buying vaccine over the Internet.
"Don't do it. It is probably a scam," said Kendall.
If the person who placed the ad turns out to be a nurse, Kendall expects the College of Registered Nurses of B.C. to take disciplinary action.
"No one, especially someone who has the bad taste to pose as a nurse, should be offering healthy people preferential treatment and the offer of jumping the queue," he said.
Kendall also called the ad an "unacceptable slur" on the nursing profession.
He said that he doesn't have huge concerns about a black market developing for the vaccine.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/police+investigate+attempt+auction+vaccine/2203890/story.html
