As a result of our posting on Tech Net we were made aware of a technique for melting syringes and suspending the needles in the innards of a plastic block formed by the melting plastic syringes. This technique eliminates exposed needles and reduces the volume of the waste by 70%. The technique is de...

In my humble opinion Michel and Robert have asked a useful question. Very often polio or other campaigns displace Measles and Bcg in subdistrict stores. The unwritten convention is to move them to the freezer. Especially since the vials are not as breakable as the old ampoules used earlier Usually f...

Dear Sir,  We are one of the companies in INDIA making WHO approved cold Chain equipment.  We have a clear policy " Minimum order quantity in 1 nos of any Product"  If you require Ice packs and Vaccine Carriers please do let us know and we would be able supply you your required quantity.  ...

Sun Frost recently developed a solar oven capable of air sterilizing medical equipment. For air sterilizing temperature of 190C must be achieved for 6 minutes. The heart of the sterilizer is an evacuated tube solar collector. The interior of the oven is cylindrical in shape and is 11.5cm in diameter...

Dear Moderator, Introduction of the pentavalent vaccine into RI in India needs to be considered in the face of evidence that reveals that it may not be so very beneficial. Also when coverage with existing vaccines leaves a lot to be desired, what is the purpose of introducing a new vaccine that may ...

As a part of study aimed towards assessing the magnitude and key drivers of vaccine wastage rate, the general understanding is that wastage rates are typically higher for multi-dose vial vaccines in comparison to single dose vial vaccines. Also, while key drivers of wastage such as expiry, freezing,...

Cross posted from IAC Express (Issue: 873) with many thanks. GLOBAL TRAINING NETWORK INVITES HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO TRY ITS PILOT PROGRAM ABOUT VACCINE SAFETY WHO's Global Training Network provides training for national programmes and regulatory authorities on the principles of vaccine safe...

by Olivier Ronveaux, WHO, and Mojtaba Haghgou, Vaccine Management Consultant Maintaining required temperatures in vaccine refrigerators and freezers is one of the more thankless tasks of a cold chain manager as it requires painstaking manual recording of the temperature of each piece of equipment...

Vaccine vial monitor use, policy, and practices in four regionsby Julie Milstien, independent consultant While the benefits of using vaccine vial monitors (VVMs) in immunization programs are widely known, a recently completed study of VVM use and availability shows that their use is still not univer...

Supply chain assessment reveals opportunities for Vietnamby Nguyen Tuyet Nga and Joanie Robertson, PATH, and Nguyen Van Cuong, NIHE When Vietnam’s National Expanded Program on Immunization (NEPI) and Optimize agreed to explore novel public-sector supply chain solutions for Vietnam, they started with...

Modeling tools under developmentby Tessa Tan-Torres, WHO; Linda Allain, USAID | DELIVER PROJECT; Bruce Lee, University of Pittsburgh; and Carol Levin, PATH If developing countries are to meet their populations’ health needs, they must ensure that their supply chains are able to cope with the increas...

Toward a global framework for e-health information systems by David Lubinski and Jan Grevendonk, PATH Improving health outcomes through strengthened platforms and systems has emerged as a guiding principle of donors and multilateral agencies. A key building block for this effort will be the develop...

WHO develops a process to determine programmatic suitability of vaccines for prequalificationby Rudi Eggers, WHO/EPI, and Nora Dellepiane, WHO/QSS The World Health Organization (WHO) recently convened a working group to propose a new process for assessing the programmatic suitability of vaccines for...

by Janos Maté, SolarChill Project, and Steve McCarney, PATH On March 18, 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified its first solar direct-drive vaccine refrigerator (Vestfrost model MKSO44). Ten years in the making, the SolarChillvaccine cooler operates with a compressor powered direct...

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its final draft of Model requirements for the storage and transport of time and temperature sensitive pharmaceutical products for general public review. Review and comment period is open until July 31st, 2010. This long-awaited guideline, prepa...

Thanks Julian. It really helped. I stress so much on anti freezing the H1N1 vaccine during my country wide lectures that I needed to be sure of my claims. Frankly it would have been better for a H1N1 vccine without VVM to be freeze resistant, as opertaionally it is much easier for vaccinators in ...

Dear All, WHO SEARO is conducting a study entitled "VACCINE PRICE TRENDS IN THE PAST DECADE AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS" for vaccines purchased/sold in developing countries with special reference to the SEARO countries. The list of vaccines includes: Rubella, Measles, MMR, MR, Hep B monovalen...

Smallpox vaccination-induced immune responses may help combat HIV?BMC IMMUNOLOGY 11:23,doi 10.86/1471-2172-11-23 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/11/23/abstract http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7734527/Withdrawal-of-smallpox-vaccine-contributed-to-spread-of-HIV.html Ending smallp...

Robert Steinglass forwards this request. Greetings, Are you familiar with efforts to integrate child immunization and family planning services? If so, we need your help. Family Health International (FHI) through its PROGRESS project and the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP), led...

A recently published paper (JB Milstien and M Kaddar. 'The role of emerging manufacturers in access to innovative vaccines of public health importance', Vaccine 28: 2115-2121, 2010) analyzes the potential for emerging suppliers, those vaccine manufacturers located in developing countries, to supply ...