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Authorities in Wisconsin on Thursday arrested a pharmacist on suspicion of intentionally ruining hundreds of doses of the coronavirus vaccine by taking them out of the refrigerator for two nights.
Former pharmacist Advocate Aurora Health has been arrested on suspicion of reckless endangerment, falsification of a prescription drug and criminal damage to property, according to the Grafton Police Department, the Associated Press reported.
Jeff Bahr, president of Aurora Healthcare Medical Group, said during a Zoom press call on Thursday that a now-licensed pharmacy technician had removed 57 vials of Moderna vaccine from the cold room – enough for about 570 doses – and had distorted them, or made them less effective and even ineffective.
Health workers used the denatured vaccine doses to inoculate 57 people. Bahr said the doses were less effective and potentially ineffective.
“In the hours that followed, clinical managers spoke to each other,” Bahr said. “And based on the information available, it was determined that the vaccine could still be administered on the morning of December 26, given the 12 hour viability period after removing from the refrigerator.”
PA authorities reported that authorities released a statement saying the suspect was in prison but did not disclose personal information as he had not yet been formally charged.
“The pharmacist responsible for removing the vials argued that this was an inadvertent error that occurred while the individual was accessing other items from the same refrigerator,” Bahr said, adding that the suspect confessed more late that the withdrawal was intentional.
When asked about the pharmacist’s motive for removing the doses from the refrigeration, Bahr said Aurora was unable to pass judgment and referred the questions to local authorities.
Hill contacted 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 person’s actions are causing a delay of more than 500 people receiving their vaccines, ”the health system said in a statement.
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