Favouritism claims mar U.S. vaccine drive

Frustration mounts after hospital boards, donors get COVID-19 shots

While millions of Americans wait for the COVID-19 vaccine, hospital board members, their trustees and donors around the country have got early access to the scarce drug or offers for vaccinations, raising complaints about favouritism tainting decisions about who gets inoculated and when.

In Rhode Island, Attorney General Peter Neronha opened an inquiry after reports that two hospital systems offered their board members vaccinations. A Seattle-area hospital system was rebuked by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee after it offered COVID-19 vaccination appointments to major donors.

And in Kansas, members of a hospital board received vaccinations during the first phase of the state’s rollout, which was intended for people at greater risk for infection.

Hospitals in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia also have faced questions about distributing vaccines, including to donors, trustees and relatives of executives.

The disclosures could threaten public confidence in a national rollout already marked by vaccine shortages, appointment logjams and inconsistent standards state to state for determining who’s eligible.

“We want people vaccinated based on priority, not privilege,” Inslee spokesperson Mike Faulk said. “Everyone deserves a fair opportunity to get vaccinated.”

At the direction of the federal government, states have set up tiered distribution pipelines aimed first at protecting essential workers and those most at risk, including older Americans. In California, for example, medical workers, first responders, nursing home residents and people 65 and older are at the front of the line for the coveted shots.

In some cases, it’s not clear if rules were violated when people outside priority groups received vaccinations. Guidelines vary by state, and hospitals can have leeway making decisions. In California, providers have more latitude to make sure they do not squander hard-to-get vaccine in cases where it might be at risk of going to waste.

In Rhode Island, Attorney General Peter Neronha began an inquiry into two hospital systems after the Providence Journal reported this month that some board members of hospital systems Lifespan and Care New England had been offered vaccinations. Neronha said the report, if true, raised questions about whether the vaccine was being distributed appropriately.

“We all know the stakes are incredibly high. People are frustrated, they’re scared,” Neronha said. “Given the lack of supply here, every dose is critical.”

Care New England spokesperson Raina Smith said in an emailed statement that administrators would co-operate with the probe. Lifespan spokesperson Kathleen Hart emailed a statement saying the hospital system had followed guidance from Rhode Island health officials and had recently received clearance to vaccinate employers and volunteers considered at lower risk, “including board members, who fall into the volunteer category.”

The Seattle Times has reported that Overlake Medical Center & Clinics emailed about 110 donors who gave more than $10,000 (U.S.) to the hospital system, telling them that vaccine slots were available. The email gave the donors an access code to register for appointments “by invite” only.

At the same time, the public Overlake registration site was fully booked through March. The medical centre’s chief operating officer said the invitation was a quick-fix solution after the hospital’s scheduling system failed. Overlake shut down online access to the invite-only clinic after getting a call from Inslee’s staff, and CEO J. Michael Marsh issued an apology.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan called on the state to reassess its vaccine policy to make sure the most vulnerable, especially people of colour, are prioritized. Hospital donors should be banned, she said. “We have an obligation to ensure that our fight against the pandemic does not exacerbate inequities,” she said.