One of the companies hired to supply flu vaccines to adults in over 20 municipalities is once more in the news, but now for the wrong reasons!
Accreditation by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure
According to reports by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure, Dr. Paul E. McLaughlin from Mount Sterling, permitted Fairshinda Sabounchi McLaughlin, his wife, to inappropriately handle the flu vaccines even though he knew that she was not a licensed physician. This led to an outbreak in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. The Board’s policy requires that for any Physician to get the licensure, he or she has to undergo an accredited training of 2 years or more. The examiner must pass all the sections of the approved licensing examination by the Board to be able to practice in Kentucky. The Board offers various types of licenses.
Punishment for committing the crime which results in a public health crisis
A report from the Lexington Herald-Leaders indicates that doctor Dr.Paul E. McLaughlin is now under probation for the next five years. He also has to pay $5,000 for allowing a non-licensed person to handle the vaccines, thus leading to a crisis in public health.
Vaccines
The victim
Location Vaccination, which was the supplier of these vaccines, is the property of Madam Fairshinda. She, however, did her operations under the medical license of Dr. Paul E. McLaughlin.
The State Department of Public Health started to do investigations about the company and its operations in early February this year. This was after realizing that patients complained of swelling accompanied by pain on the injection site.
The symptoms started one or two days after the administration and up to 12 weeks after getting the vaccine. According to the Department of Medical Health, the infections were a result of contamination.
Reports indicate that as of now the Location Vaccination no longer administers the vaccination process. However, there are possibilities of the affected people developing an infection as a result of their previous immunization.
What the Department of Health (DPH) Commissioner, Kentucky, had to say
The DPH goes further to advise patients who might have received the immunization to consider a repeat vaccination in order to be fully secure of not contracting the disease being vaccinated against.
The DPH Commissioner, Dr. Jeff Howard, had the following to say, “We believe that negative side effects associated with this investigation are to be linked to improper storage and handling of the vaccines. We want to emphasize that there’s no evidence to suggest that there is an issue with the vaccine supply. The provider has stopped vaccinating and there is no continuing risk to the public.”
The DPH notified medical providers and businesses whose employees are believed to have received the immunization to inform the Department’s workers as soon as possible through this number (502)564-3418.
Dr. Howard went further to say that these individuals also need to seek proper medical attention.
The DPH is at the forefront to encourage citizens to go for protective immunization for any preventable diseases such as Hepatitis A, Influenza, etc.
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