Friday, April 10, 2015

Ensuring that a vaccine you depend on is not a dud


Dr Giridhara Babu has done us a service pointing out that a valuable indicator which should be on vaccine packs is often not there.
Visit

Visiting private clinic for immunization?
Dr Giridhara R Babu, April 08, 2015, DHNS

He points out that you may be worse off if you get a vaccine shot at a private hospital. Government hospitals usually use vaccine that are guarded by a printed image named the Vaccine Vial Monitor. If the vial is not kept at specified low temperatures all the way from the factory to the place of use, the image changes its shape/color and warns you that the contents cannot be relied upon. Vaccines at private clinics do not necessarily use the VVM device.

I have myself taken expensive “flu shots” in private hospitals and I can assure you that there was no VVM on those packages. Why not? What prevents the government from banning the sale/use of vaccines not protected by VVM?

More information can be found on VVMs, including a very descriptive image, at

Dr Babu's article goes beyond protecting vaccines through cold chains. There is another point he makes about an unethical medical practice that is unrelated to vaccines. However, that is also worth thinking about and protesting against. 

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