To the Editor: From 30 September 2009, the Australian Government began offering free pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine (Panvax, CSL Limited, Melbourne, VIC), using either 10-dose (5 mL) or 20-dose (10 mL) vials.1 Multidose vials are not used routinely in Australia, and are designed for high-volume vaccination clinics.2 Once pierced, a Panvax vial must be used within 24 hours or discarded.3 We investigated vaccine wastage in general practice during the first month of the vaccine’s availability.
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- Caroline E Turnour1
- Stephen J Conaty2
- Michelle A Cretikos2
- 1 NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW.
- 2 Sydney South West Public Health Unit, Sydney South West Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW.