Pharmacies investigated for allegedly giving unnecessary immunisations

Several pharmacies have temporarily stopped vaccinating patients after concerns were raised about their services. It comes as a scheme gets underway to allow pharmacies to administer child vaccinations.

Three South Island pharmacies are
being investigated over their vaccination services after reports that patients were being given extra immunisations they did not need.

Health NZ – Te Whatu Ora and Medsafe began investigating after getting tip-offs that raised concerns about vaccinations at two pharmacies in Christchurch: Pharmacy Xtra in central Christchurch and Unichem Wigram.

Medsafe group manager Chris James said that after these concerns were assessed, Medsafe also determined that action needed to be taken at a third pharmacy – Unichem Redwoodtown in Blenheim – to protect public health.

“Medsafe has imposed additional operating conditions to restrict vaccination services being provided … while investigations continue,” he said.

Te Whatu Ora National Public Health Service regional director Vince Barry said the concerns raised at the pharmacies included giving additional immunisations that were not required. There were also concerns about inputting data about immunisations incorrectly.

GenPro chairman Dr Angus Chambers said colleagues who worked near the Wigram pharmacy reported that elderly patients who went there to get their flu shot were also given child vaccinations, including measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and meningitis shots.

“Any clinician should know that you don’t give MMRs to people with any immune suppression,” Chambers said. “And obviously giving it to the elderly there is a higher likelihood of this – and there is no indication to give it to them as well.

“The advice is that you don’t need to immunise anyone who was born before 1969, they will almost certainly have encountered wild measles. That’s the generally accepted advice.”

It is not known whether extra vaccinations were given at all three pharmacies, and the allegations do not appear to relate to every pharmacist.

In an email sent by Te Whatu Ora to GPs, doctors were told that there were “no long-term health impacts for the people who received an immunisation that was not required”.

Staff at each of the pharmacies referred the Herald to a lawyer.

The lawyer, Fiona McCrimmon, said the pharmacist she was acting for had not yet had a chance to consider all of the issues raised by health authorities.

She said he acted professionally by entering into a voluntary agreement to stop vaccinating while the concerns were investigated. No further comment was possible at this stage.

Medsafe said the concerns about immunisation practices dated back to July.

It comes as pharmacies are being given a greater role in providing vaccinations.

As of April, pharmacies have been able to vaccinate children younger than 5 under an initiative designed to lift falling immunisation rates.

Immunisation rates are the lowest they have been in years, at 83 per cent for the general population and 70 per cent for Māori.

Chambers said the investigations raised concerns about allowing pharmacies to carry out child vaccinations – a move which his organisation opposed. GenPro represents general practice owners.

Te Whatu Ora said patients who might have been affected by the pharmacy’s vaccination services will be contacted when the investigations are complete.

Any patient who was concerned about an immunisation at these pharmacies could get a free GP checkup.

Isaac Davison is an Auckland-based reporter who covers health issues. He joined the Herald in 2008 and has previously covered the environment, politics, and social issues