Post 00491e : Protection Of More Cold-sensitive Vaccines

POST 00491E : PROTECTION OF MORE COLD-SENSITIVE VACCINES Follow-up on Posts 00400E, 00412E, 00419E, 00428E, 00475E, 00480E, 00482E, 00484E, and 00490E 22 August 2002 ________________________________________________________________ *mit Kartoglu (mailto:[log in to unmask]) from WHO refers us to the "Vaccines and Biologicals Update" of December 2000 on proper handling and reconstitution of vaccines. This posting reproduces highlights from the update, and the full document is attached. In view of discussions in previous postings on this topic, this serves to reiterate WHO policy on reconstitution of vaccines. At page 3 of the document, it is clearly stated that reconstituted vaccines must be kept on ice. ________________________________________________________________ Highlights: * Only diluent supplied by the manufacturer, specific for the vaccine, should be used. No other diluent may be used. * Diluent must be shipped and distributed with the vaccine vials that it will be used to reconstitute. This ensures that the correct diluent will be used for the vaccine. Before reconstitution, diluent must be cooled to below +8degree C to avoid thermal shock to the vaccine. * Reconstituted vaccines may become contaminated with staphylococcus and other organisms from improper handling. Once this happens, a chemical called a toxin is produced that may be deadly if injected. To avoid this, reconstituted BCG, measles and yellow fever vaccines must be kept cooled, and must be discarded after 6 hours after reconstitution. * Some newly introduced vaccines also require diluents, and all reconstituted vaccines should be discarded before the time limit indicated in the manufacturer's leaflet, or not longer than 6 hours after reconstitution, whichever is the shorter. * It is no longer necessary to ship and store freeze-dried vaccines (measles, yellow fever and BCG) at 20degree C. Instead, they may be refrigerated at +2 degree to +8degree C. __________________________________________ ##text##