Why is revaccination being offered?
It has come to our attention that the effectiveness of some vaccines your child received at our clinic might not provide full immunity and therefore can't be guaranteed effective in preventing disease. We have always monitored our refrigerator and freezer temperatures, however with the newest technology that allows minute to minute monitoring we are able to be even more precise. We have discovered that during a given time frame the temperature had dipped lower than the manufacturer's recommendation for vaccine storage.
The only way we can fully guarantee that your child has the optimal protection against disease is to offer revaccination at no charge. We take this issue very seriously because we believe in the importance of vaccines in preventing disease. We apologize for the inconvenience and concern this may cause you.
What vaccinations are being offered?
Only the vaccines that are stored in a refrigerator are involved. These include vaccines protecting against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, Haemophilus influenza type B (HIB), hepatitis A and B, human papillomavirus (Gardasil), pneumococcal disease (Prevnar), and meningococcal disease (Menactra). There were no problems with any freezer temperatures.
Were the vaccines given harmful to my child?
No, the affected vaccines are safe.
How soon does my child need to be revaccinated?
This is not an emergency. We have scheduled dedicated times to offer revaccinations, or you may choose to wait until your child's next scheduled appointment.
Is there any risk to my child from revaccination?
No. The Centers for Disease Control's review of available studies and medical experience do not show adverse events for revaccination beyond the temporary discomfort and localized swelling that may occur immediately following the vaccination.
How do I know which and how many vaccines my child received were affected?
The vaccines in question were those stored in a refrigerator during a certain time period. If you received notification from us by mail, one or more of your child's vaccines was affected. We will review each child's immunization records individually with you to let you know which vaccines should be repeated. A schedule for revaccination and future vaccines will be arranged based on CDC and Oregon Department of Human Services guidelines.
Please call us and leave your child's name and date of birth, as well as your contact information on our dedicated revaccination voice mail, and one of our clinical staff will contact you within 3 weekdays.
What if during that given time frame, my child received more than one dose of the same vaccine - how many doses will need to be repeated?
This will depend on the vaccine in question, the age of your child, how many other doses of the vaccine your child has had, and the CDC and Oregon Department of Human Services guidelines. We will go over this with you after reviewing your child's records.
What if I don't want my child revaccinated?
Revaccination is optional. However, because we can't guarantee the potency of the vaccines in question, we do recommend revaccination.
I've seen stories of revaccinations being offered. Why wasn't I notified sooner?
According to the Oregon State Public Health Division, there have been 6-10 similar recall and revaccination campaigns each year since 2003. There have been many wide scale revaccination campaigns this year alone, which has led to the Oregon State Public Health Division and East Portland Pediatric Clinic taking a closer look at our own vaccine storage. As soon as we discovered some irregularities we have taken appropriate and immediate action to collect data, notify you and offer revaccination.
Will schools and daycares accept the vaccinations in question?
Yes. They will still consider these vaccines valid for school entry.
What is East Portland Pediatric Clinic doing to make sure this doesn't happen again?
We take this issue very seriously because we believe in the importance of vaccines in preventing disease. We have implemented changes and added additional safeguards and new equipment to make sure this does not happen again.
What if I have more questions?
Please call and leave a message for the personnel handling the revaccination scheduling, or you may talk to your physician at your next scheduled appointment.