Wisconsin officials arrested a pharmacist on Thursday suspected of intentionally ruining hundreds of doses of the coronavirus vaccine by taking them out of refrigeration for two nights.
According to the Grafton Police Department, the former Advocate Aurora Health pharmacist was arrested on suspicion of reckless danger, adulteration of a prescription drug and criminal damage to property, the Associated Press reported.
Jeff Bahr, president of the Aurora Healthcare Medical Group said during a Zoom press call Thursday that a pharmacy technician now discharged removed 57 vials of the Modern vaccine from cold storage – enough for about 570 doses – and made them denatured, or made them less effective and even ineffective.
Health professionals used denatured doses of the vaccine to inoculate 57 people. Bahr said the doses were less effective and potentially ineffective.
“In the hours that followed, clinical leaders conferred with each other,” said Bahr. “And based on the available information, it was found that the vaccine could still be administered on the morning of December 26, given the 12-hour period of viability after the refrigeration was removed.”
The AP reported that the authorities issued a statement saying the suspect was in prison, but did not release any personal information because he had not yet been formally charged.
“The pharmacist responsible for removing the bottles said it was an inadvertent error that occurred while the individual accessed other items from the same refrigerator,” said Bahr, adding that the suspect later confessed that the removal was intentional.
When asked about the pharmacist’s reason for withdrawing doses from refrigeration, Bahr said Aurora was unable to make a judgment and postponed questions to local authorities.
The Hill contacted the Grafton Police, but did not receive an immediate response.
“We continue to believe that vaccination is our way out of the pandemic. We are more than disappointed that this individual’s actions will result in more than 500 people being delayed in receiving the vaccine, ”the health system said in a statement.