State: Vaccine provider mishandled 890 doses
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy is investigating a Columbus vaccine provider after state health officials reported nearly 900 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were wasted by failing to properly monitor their storage temperatures.
The Ohio Department of Health announced Wednesday it has suspended Specialtyrx as a vaccine provider while seeking an investigation of its
mishandling of the scarce vaccine.
Specialtyrx’s Columbus branch was given 1,500 doses of Moderna vaccine to administer shots to residents in eight long-term care facilities late last year, health officials said. The facilities were located in Cuyahoga, Lucas, Portage and Sandusky counties.
After administering first doses, the company had 890 doses remaining and sought to transfer them to another vaccine provider, but discovered “they had failed to appropriately monitor temperatures in their refrigerator and freezer.”
Noting the health department requires virus vaccine providers to check and record minimum and maximum storage temperatures each day, health officials said it was ultimately determined 890 doses were not viable and could not be used.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Moderna vaccine can be safely stored in a refrigerator at between 36 and 46 degrees for up to 30 days.
The long-term care centers that received first doses from Specialtyrx will need to arrange for second doses from another provider, likely local health departments, officials said.
The first-shot doses given to longterm care residents were properly refrigerated and there is no concern they had spoiled, said Department of Health spokeswoman Melanie Amato.
The Ohio Department of Health has halted the shipment of further vaccine doses to the company.
Officials with Specialtyrx, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, did not respond to requests for comment.
Pharmacy board spokesman Cameron Mcnamee said the board could not comment on an open investigation. rludlow@dispatch.com @Randyludlow